Examining Interactions in Social Network Sites through the Lense of Social Capital

Abstract

Rapid growth of the Internet has led to the proliferation of technology, including the use of social network sites (SNS). Social network sites facilitate communications between online users with shared interests and enable users to share content seamlessly. Accordingly, the rapid growth of social network site usage necessitates analysis of factors affecting usage of SNS and the creation of social networks on the social network sites. A research model that focuses on social capital in SNS and the development of community in SNS is proposed in this paper. The model suggests how the configuration of SNS and the diversity of SNS users influence different relational facets of social capital such as trust, reciprocity and identification needs in SNS and the sense of community in SNS. We conducted a web-based survey to collect the data to test our hypotheses. We find that SNS users interaction needs and trust in interaction have positive relationships with reciprocity in SNS interactions. We also find that the development of the sense of community promotes effective communication in SNS