The Impact of Facebook Use on Micro-Level Social Capital: A Synthesis

Marjolijn L. Antheunis, Mariek M. P. Vanden Abeele and Saskia Kanters
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Marjolijn L. Antheunis: Department of Communication and Information Sciences, Tilburg School of Humanities, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
Mariek M. P. Vanden Abeele: Department of Communication and Information Sciences, Tilburg School of Humanities, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
Saskia Kanters: Department of Communication and Information Sciences, Tilburg School of Humanities, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands

Societies, 2015, vol. 5, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: The relationship between Facebook use and micro-level social capital has received substantial scholarly attention over the past decade. This attention has resulted in a large body of empirical work that gives insight into the nature of Facebook as a social networking site and how it influences the social benefits that people gather from having social relationships. Although the extant research provides a solid basis for future research into this area, a number of issues remain underexplored. The aim of the current article is twofold. First, it seeks to synthesize what is already known about the relationship between Facebook use and micro-level social capital. Second, it seeks to advance future research by identifying and analyzing relevant theoretical, analytical and methodological issues. To address the first research aim, we first present an overview and analysis of current research findings on Facebook use and social capital, in which we focus on what we know about (1) the relationship between Facebook use in general and the different subtypes of social capital; (2) the relationships between different types of Facebook interactions and social capital; and (3) the impact of self-esteem on the relationship between Facebook use and social capital. Based on this analysis, we subsequently identify three theoretical issues, two analytical issues and four methodological issues in the extant body of research, and discuss the implications of these issues for Facebook and social capital researchers.

Keywords: social network sites; Facebook; social capital; bonding; bridging; self-esteem (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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