In ‘The benefits of Facebook “friends” social capital and college students use of social network sites’, Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe carry out an investigation of students uses of Facebook. The article explores student’s use of Facebook and whether or not it accumulates social capital. This is done through a series of investigations displayed on tables during the article as well as a ‘Literature Review’ also, using visual descriptions as well as a literal explanation of the research.
Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe begin with an overview of Facebook, then moving into an investigation of social capital. It highlights the positive impact in which social capital has including better public health, lower crime rates and more efficient financial markets. (Alder and Kwon in Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe 2007). However predominantly it highlights an interesting idea that social capital is bridged by theories of self-esteem between users of the social network, stating that it is ‘different for individuals with varying degrees of self-esteem’ (Rosenburg in Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe 2007). Users of the site allows a person to feel a sense of belonging with an outlet of which makes them feel they can post parts of themselves they couldn’t physically express had they been in person. Social capital researchers back this point up with ‘forms of social capital are related to indices of psychological well-being such as self-esteem and satisfaction with life’ (Mckenna and Putham in Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe 2007). The validity this has is that of building of social capital is that online relationships are supported by technologies like distribution lists, photo directories and search capabilities, building industry through the capital.
Facebook was created in 2004 but by 2007 had more than 21 million members, the sites has no specific demographic, as anyone can join, there is nothing specific in order to be ‘accepted’ onto the site. The site can be used for many different uses either social or even for businesses wanting to promote products/films. Throughout the research, of which is high in terms of depth, the tables show the mean and S.D with graphs emphasizing the impact, with 94% of the undergraduate students surveyed were Facebook members therefore an accurate reading. On average a user spends 10-30 minutes in a day with links to 150-200 friends meaning there is always content on the users ‘timeline’. Most users of the site, as shown in the research carried out by Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe is that Facebook is primarily for people to maintain offline relationships, crystallising ‘relationships that might otherwise remain ephemeral’ (Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe, 2007 pg22). For example people who have moved countries or families who are always moving, the statistics show that America’s use was higher because of marine families being more common.
During the research 96% of the people who did have accounts included where they went to university/ college, meaning there was a direct link between them and others who are in the same social circle, resulting in 97% report that high school friends had seen their profile because of this. It shows that more information on your profile can link the two as in suggested friends it makes them unavoidable. Furthermore the effect it has upon students is helping them to overcome barriers of low satisfaction or self esteem as well as keeping in touch with other people who may live away from individuals.
In relation to social capital, Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe make the point that one quarter of the variance in students’ had reported bonding social capital. This is prominent as shown in the conclusions and discussions of the article proved that the Internet use alone did not predict social capital accumulation, but intensive use of Facebook did. I believe that social capital has massive value as, as a society we depend upon social networks to keep up with everything including news stories, preferring to read from an app than an actual newspaper. Through the article it shows that 94% of the students in the study we’re dependent/ invest our time to a site therefore emphasising the social capital within the generation. The article for me shows the intense use of social networks furthermore critically being within a social capital.
Bibliography
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x/full