Unpacking Social Media’s Role in Resource Provision: Variations across Relational and Communicative Properties

Abstract

New information and communication technologies (ICTs) challenge existing beliefs regarding the exchange of social resources within a network. The present study examines individuals' perceived access to social, emotional, and instrumental resources by analyzing relational and Facebook-specific characteristics of dyadic relationships. Results suggest that the social and technical affordances of the site-including visibility of content and connections, as well as streamlined processes for interacting with a large audience-may augment existing perceptions of resource access for some ties while providing a major (or sole) outlet to interact and exchange resources with others. Specifically, weaker ties appear to benefit more than strong ties from engagement in directed communication and relationship maintenance strategies, while additional variations were observed across relationship category, dyad composition, and geographic proximity. In summary, these findings provide new evidence for how positive relational gains may be derived from site use.

Cognitive Effects of Social Media Use: A Case of Older Adults

“…This connection has spotlighted the ways in which social technologies can reduce loneliness among older adults (Baecker, Sellen, Crosskey, Boscart, & Barbosa Neves, 2014;Sinclair & Grieve, 2017). Because social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter enhance social connection (Vitak, 2014), it follows that they may present accessible and relatively low-cost mechanisms to enhance social connection, and therefore life quality, at older ages.…”

Social Media and Social Capital: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Similar to Krämer et al [8], Vitak [9] finds that strong ties do provide more social support, but upon closer examination of more fine-grained communication strategies and affordances, she shows that weak ties profit more from directed communication and relationship maintenance strategies. Vitak [9] argues that the technological affordances (e.g., visibility, streamlined interactions) may augment the perceptions especially for weaker ties. She thus draws a different conclusion and focuses on ways how SNS can help people to get more benefits from their weak ties.…”

“…The number of ties that provided emotional support also predicted overall bonding and bridging capital, and respondents were more willing to let the weaker contacts go. Vitak [9] tried to disentangle social, emotional and instrumental support, but found that the items all loaded onto one factor, indicating again that the classical assumptions from social capital theory do not hold anymore on social media. Similar to Krämer et al [8], Vitak [9] finds that strong ties do provide more social support, but upon closer examination of more fine-grained communication strategies and affordances, she shows that weak ties profit more from directed communication and relationship maintenance strategies.…”

“…Vitak [9] tried to disentangle social, emotional and instrumental support, but found that the items all loaded onto one factor, indicating again that the classical assumptions from social capital theory do not hold anymore on social media. Similar to Krämer et al [8], Vitak [9] finds that strong ties do provide more social support, but upon closer examination of more fine-grained communication strategies and affordances, she shows that weak ties profit more from directed communication and relationship maintenance strategies. Vitak [9] argues that the technological affordances (e.g., visibility, streamlined interactions) may augment the perceptions especially for weaker ties.…”

“…Two papers focus on the perceived benefits people receive from Facebook and the role of tie strength [8,9]. Both papers examine social capital at the single contact level as opposed to the network level (i.e., by asking participants to respond about specific SNS friends).…”