Abstract
How does the use of social networking sites (SNSs) affect
social capital offline and online? The increasing popularity
of SNSs such as Facebook (FB) implies a significant change
in the way we interact with others. In an extensive
longitudinal study (N = 311), carried out in Norway
between 2008 - 2010, we examined the relationship between
FB use and social capital, with a focus on interpersonal
interaction, including face-to-face (F2F) interaction. Our
findings suggest that overall FB use does not significantly
affect offline capital, despite a significant increase in the use
of FB from 2008 to 2010, after controlling for age, gender
and education. However, different types of communication
strategies on FB correlate with various kinds of F2F
interaction. Importantly, FB users who focus on FB
communication with their close friends, also interact more
frequently with their close friends F2F, compared to those
using FB to communicate with "online strangers”. The
results also indicate that FB has become an important tool
for keeping in touch with family members and existing
friends rather than forming new connections.
social capital offline and online? The increasing popularity
of SNSs such as Facebook (FB) implies a significant change
in the way we interact with others. In an extensive
longitudinal study (N = 311), carried out in Norway
between 2008 - 2010, we examined the relationship between
FB use and social capital, with a focus on interpersonal
interaction, including face-to-face (F2F) interaction. Our
findings suggest that overall FB use does not significantly
affect offline capital, despite a significant increase in the use
of FB from 2008 to 2010, after controlling for age, gender
and education. However, different types of communication
strategies on FB correlate with various kinds of F2F
interaction. Importantly, FB users who focus on FB
communication with their close friends, also interact more
frequently with their close friends F2F, compared to those
using FB to communicate with "online strangers”. The
results also indicate that FB has become an important tool
for keeping in touch with family members and existing
friends rather than forming new connections.
