The Relationship Between Regional Social Network Site Use, Friendships, and Social Capital Outcomes

• In Event: Social Capital and Social Media

Abstract

Regional social networks sites (SNS) allow their users to maintain old and build up new relationships and therefore to increase their social capital where it often matters most, in their local social environment. In this study, we investigated the relationship of different use forms, self-disclosure as well as online and offline friendships, in a regional SNS, on users perceived online bonding, bridging and maintained social capital. We found that communication with peers helps to enhance users online bonding, bridging and maintained social capital stronger than other use forms. While offline friends in the regional SNS contributed most to bonding and maintained social capital, online friends made online and already met offline could increase users’ bridging social capital. Our results show that it is important to widen the focus and explore besides Facebook small and regional SNS in order to understand better how different online media might be associated with users’ social life.

Authors

• Emese Domahidi, Knowledge Media Research Center

• Thorsten Quandt, U of Muenster