GEC.E3 Ch6.L3 PDF

Catanduanes State University
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Virac, Catanduanes
LEARNING MATERIALS AND COMPILATION OF

LECTURES/ACTIVITIES
GEC3
LIVING IN THE I.T. ERA
D ISC L AIM ER
This learning material is used in compliance with the flexible teaching-learning
approach, espoused by CHED in response to the pandemic that has globally affected
educational institutions. Authors and publishers of the contents are well acknowledged. Such
as, the college and its faculty do not claim ownership of all sourced information. This learning
material is solely for instructional purposes and not for commercialization. Moreover, copying
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College of Information and Communications Technology

C H APTER 6: LIGHT SID E OF TH E INT ER N E T
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Understand the relationship between the internet and interpersonal communication;
2. Compare the advances and disadvantages of internet in developing the interpersonal
communication;
3. Describe how internet is related to civic engagements; and
4. Identify the importance of having networks.
KEY TERMS
1. Interpersonal communication
2. Network
3. Community networks
4. Social network
5. Online communities
6. Social capital
7. Civic engagement
L E S S O N 3 : S O C I AL C AP I T AL
Internet has greatly influenced the way individuals socialize, create and exploit economic opportunities and
knowledge resources. Few studies have measured impact of internet in an integrated manner – examined
the aspects of social, economic and knowledge enhancements that further helps in understanding the
phenomena constituting the impact of internet use.
Past studies have measured these impacts with two theoretical and complementary domains: social capital
and social cognitive theory. In this lesson, we will focus on impacts of social capital with internet use.
3.1 Social Capital and Internet Use

Social capital refers to the potential tangible and intangible resources a person can obtain via their social
connections. Examples of tangible resources include money, food, running errands for another person,
even teaching another how to perform a skill. Examples of intangible resources include offering emotional
support, giving advice, sharing nuanced information, and making recommendations. Bourdieu and
Coleman in particular posit that social capital is not an active form of resource, but rather a dormant one
that can be activated when a need is expressed.
Social capital refers to the amount of effective mobilizing power that people possess through developing
social relations to achieve private (Bourdieu 1986) or public goals (Coleman 1988).1 It comprises three
elements: networks, capacity, and objective. These elements are interrelated, and each of them is
indispensable in shaping the defining features. Networks by definition encompass all social relations
people have built and which could potentially become the target of mobilization2. Capacity means the
effectiveness of mobilizing attempts with which people exert their influence over others. Objective is related
to the nature of mobilizing activities and asks whose goal is being served. People use social capital for a
private purpose if only they or affiliated groups are beneficiaries, as shown, for example, in the case of
rotating savings and credit associations. However, we can identify varying levels of social capital that serve
a public purpose when the interest is collective, such as trust, norms, sanctions, and authority. In a nutshell,
the fundamental theme of social capital research is related to the following questions: how social relations
are organized, to what extent different modes of social relations can be effectively mobilized, and what
differences account for the effectiveness of mobilizing power.
The concept has also evolved to distinguish between two distinct types of social capital. These are known
as “bridging” and “bonding” social capital based on the resources that can be obtained. Bridging social
capital refers to information or new world views that are obtained from weak relationships that may be wide
but lack depth. Bonding social capital, on the other hand, provides emotional support and mobilized
resources that can only come from strong personal connections. The concept of having social capital via
connecting to others using information communication technologies (ICTs) can be considered online social
capital– Williams argued that building social capital works differently online and offline and presented
measurements that differentiated between online and offline social capital. The early days of social capital
research were mainly trying to determine whether or not ICTs help or hinder the development of social
capital. While earlier studies found that online connections were insufficient, as more people started using
ICTs– particularly with the adoption of social media, increasing evidence shows support for how ICTs can
be used to amass and obtain bridging and bonding social capital resources.
3.2 Recent Trends in Online Social Capital Research

The following are trends in the research that examines how people are using ICTs to accumulate, increase,
and utilize their offline and online social capital resources. These trends include the blurring gap between
offline and online social capital, examining the use of new platforms to obtain online social capital,
increased specificity concerning the types of online social capital that can be sought, how taking advantage
of online social capital resources affects personal well-being, and how researchers are moving beyond the
college-aged population in their online social capital studies.
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3.2.1 Distinguishing online from offline
The distinction between online and offline social capital research mainly made sense when focusing on
resources obtained through people that one would otherwise not be connected to offline, but as the blurring
of offline and online networks trends upward, so does the perception that ICTs can help people increase
and take advantage of their offline resources. Now that there is an increase in the extent to which people
connect online with those, they know offline as well as the prevalence of the usage of ICTs in general,
many studies do not distinguish between online and offline social capital. The debate on whether or not
online social capital is qualitatively better or worse than offline social capital has subsided and been
replaced with more nuanced understandings of the affordances of different technology, which includes
understanding of different online communication platforms as well as different modalities of online
communication. For example, Lee et al. conducted a study showing how communicating with those one
knows offline by using social media and other ICTs increases that individual’s social capital which in turn
positively affects their well-being. Other studies have found that bonding social capital is negatively related
to online political engagement. This is likely because bonding social capital refers to a person’s network of
close offline relational ties (family, close friends, etc.). Expressing political beliefs can sometimes cause
discord in close relationships, which explains why people would refrain from expressing political beliefs
online. These and other studies show that people’s offline social capital resources are influenced by their
use of online communication platforms.
3.2.2 New Platforms

As we continue to see new ICTs being added to the list of platforms at our disposal, we also see an increase
in research examining how using these new platforms influences social capital development and
maintenance. Early research mainly focused on email and online forums– since then, social capital
research has extended to social media and online games. Early social media research seemed to
exclusively focus on how Facebook affected the extent to which people could grow or take advantage of
their online social capital resources. Some studies still focus on how Facebook affects online social capital.
More recently, researchers are including other platforms in their studies such as Instagram, Twitter,
LinkedIn, even ResearchGate and Academic.edu. Focusing on these new platforms shows how the
expansion of available ICTs can help people accrue online social capital that directly benefits their personal
and professional social capital. Moreover, increasing studies are also moving beyond single-platform to
include multiple platforms in one study, which enables researchers to understand what effects are platform-
specific and what results are more generalizable. There has also been an increase in studies examining
how playing online games can help people develop and harness their social capital resources.
3.2.3 Increased Specificity

Online social capital research has also spread across disciplines to examine the effects of social capital in
very specific contexts (e.g., professional, medical, etc.). For example, research has begun to explore how
people use social media to help them increase their professional social capital obtain medical information
and/or aid, connect with classmates and peers, share educational guides and training, and share
information about politics and local civic resources. When researchers focus on a specific type of social
capital, they uncover how ICTs can be used to help people get access to unique resources. For example,
Venter’s study suggests that those who desire or are required to engage in dispersed or distance learning
can still use ICTs to build their bridging and bonding social capital with their fellow students. Another great
example comes from the study by Kizgin et al. showed how immigrants can get politically acclimated and
involved by using ICTs to build their local social capital. The opportunity to see how ICTs which are oriented
towards helping people connect over very specific subjects (e.g., using LinkedIn to connect with
professional contacts, using online learning tools like D2L to connect with students and instructors) will no
doubt continue to rise especially as more people turn to remote working and learning.
3.2.4 Personal Well-Being
Research has and continues to demonstrate how taking advantage of online social capital resources can
positively affect a person’s well-being. ICTs make it easier to maintain a large and more diverse social
network as well as make it easier to connect to those one has close relationships with. This makes it easier
to reach out for resources and also makes it more likely one will get the information or support they need
in a timely manner. Past studies demonstrated that engaging in directed communication online positively
affects psychological and personal well-being. This remains true today. Research continues to demonstrate
that passively using social media does not tend to yield positive effects on one’s well-being. This seems to
be true for various types of user populations beyond the college aged set.
3.2.5 New Populations

Many early studies examining the extent to which ICTS can help people develop and take advantage of
their social capital resources tended to focus on college students. Now, more studies are looking at how
teens, working adults, and older populations can increase their social capital by connecting and interacting
with others online. For example, Sinclair and Grieve surveyed older adults (between the ages of 55-81)
about their Facebook use and found that the site can be a source of social capital in older adults. This is
likely because older people are interacting with their offline social connections on Facebook which allows
them to virtually maintain access to their bridging and bonding social capital resources, they might
otherwise lose from being restricted in their activity outside the home. We also see more cross-cultural
studies as well as more online social capital research being done internationally. This means researchers
are trying to diversify their understanding of how ICTs impact people’s development and utilization of their
social capital resources.

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Catanduanes State University

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND

LEARNING MATERIALS AND COMPILATION OF

This learning material is used in compliance with the flexible teaching-learning

media like Facebook, Instagram, etc.).

College of Information and Communications Technology

3.1 Social Capital and Internet Use

3.2 Recent Trends in Online Social Capital Research

3.2.2 New Platforms

3.2.3 Increased Specificity

3.2.5 New Populations

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