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See you on Facebook! A framework for analyzing the role of computer-mediated interaction in the evolution of social capital

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  • Antoci Angelo
  • Sabatini Fabio
  • Sodini Mauro

Abstract

Empirical studies have documented a decline in indicators of social participation in the last decades. The responsibility of social disengagement has been often attributed to pervasive busyness and the rising pressure of time. In this paper we argue that computer-mediated interaction, and particularly online networking, can help mitigate this downward trend. We develop a logical framework for assessing the role of the internet in the evolution of social participation. We analyze an economy where agents can develop their social interactions through two main modes of participation, one encompassing both online networking and face to face interactions, and another solely based on physical encounters. We study the interdependence between the rise in the pressure of time and the variation in the relative performance of the two strategies of participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Antoci Angelo & Sabatini Fabio & Sodini Mauro, 2011. "See you on Facebook! A framework for analyzing the role of computer-mediated interaction in the evolution of social capital," wp.comunite 0072, Department of Communication, University of Teramo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ter:wpaper:0072
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    5. Antoci, Angelo & Sabatini, Fabio & Sodini, Mauro, 2011. "Economic Growth, Technical Progress, and Social Capital: the Inverted U Hypothesis," MPRA Paper 30326, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Angelo Antoci & Fabio Sabatini & Mauro Sodini, 2014. "Bowling alone but tweeting together: the evolution of human interaction in the social networking era," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1911-1927, July.
    7. Antoci, Angelo & Sacco, Pier Luigi & Vanin, Paolo, 2007. "Social capital accumulation and the evolution of social participation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 128-143, February.
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    10. Frey, Bruno S. & Benesch, Christine & Stutzer, Alois, 2007. "Does watching TV make us happy?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 283-313, June.
    11. John Robinson & Steven Martin, 2009. "IT and Activity Displacement: Behavioral Evidence from the U.S. General Social Survey (GSS)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 115-139, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Antoci, Angelo & Guerrini, Luca & Sodini, Mauro & Zarri, Luca, 2014. "A two-sector model of economic growth with social capital accumulation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 56-65.
    2. Sabatini, Fabio & Sarracino, Francesco, 2014. "E-participation: Social Capital and the Internet," Economy and Society 186606, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    3. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2013. "Will Facebook save or destroy social capital? An empirical investigation into the effect of online interactions on trust and networks," Department of Economics University of Siena 692, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    4. Angelo Antoci & Mauro Sodini & Luca Zarri, 2014. "Relational consumption and nonlinear dynamics in an overlapping generations model," Decisions in Economics and Finance, Springer;Associazione per la Matematica, vol. 37(1), pages 137-158, April.
    5. Angelo Antoci & Fabio Sabatini, 2018. "Online networks, social interaction and segregation: an evolutionary approach," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 859-883, September.
    6. Fabio Sabatini, 2011. "Can a click buy a little happiness? The impact of business-to-consumer e-commerce on subjective well-being," EERI Research Paper Series EERI_RP_2011_12, Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI), Brussels.
    7. Antoci, Angelo & Bonelli, Laura & Paglieri, Fabio & Reggiani, Tommaso & Sabatini, Fabio, 2019. "Civility and trust in social media," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 83-99.
    8. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2015. "Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do online social networks raise social comparisons?," Papers 1507.08863, arXiv.org.
    9. Angelo Antoci & Fabio Sabatini & Mauro Sodini, 2014. "Bowling alone but tweeting together: the evolution of human interaction in the social networking era," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1911-1927, July.
    10. Giovanni Iuzzolino & Guido Pellegrini & Gianfranco Viesti, 2011. "Convergence among Italian Regions, 1861-2011," Quaderni di storia economica (Economic History Working Papers) 22, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    11. Rayskin, Victoria, 2017. "Users’ dynamics on digital platforms," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 82-97.
    12. Salahuddin, Mohammad & Tisdell, Clem & Burton, Lorelle & Alam, Khorshed, 2016. "Does internet stimulate the accumulation of social capital? A macro-perspective from Australia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 43-55.
    13. Antoci, Angelo & Sabatini, Fabio & Sodini, Mauro, 2014. "Online and offline social participation and social poverty traps. Can social networks save human relations?," MPRA Paper 55703, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. McDool, Emily & Powell, Philip & Roberts, Jennifer & Taylor, Karl, 2020. "The internet and children’s psychological wellbeing," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    15. McDool, Emily & Powell, Philip & Roberts, Jennifer & Taylor, Karl, 2016. "Social Media Use and Children's Wellbeing," IZA Discussion Papers 10412, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2019. "Online Social Networks and Trust," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 229-260, February.
    17. Vincenzo Butticè & Massimo G. Colombo & Mike Wright, 2017. "Serial Crowdfunding, Social Capital, and Project Success," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(2), pages 183-207, March.
    18. Rotondi, Valentina & Stanca, Luca & Tomasuolo, Miriam, 2017. "Connecting alone: Smartphone use, quality of social interactions and well-being," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 17-26.
    19. Angelo Antoci & Alexia Delfino & Fabio Paglieri & Fabio Sabatini, 2016. "The ecology of social interactions in online and offline environments," Papers 1601.07776, arXiv.org.
    20. Dughera, Stefano & Giraudo, Marco, 2021. "Privacy rights in online interactions and litigation dynamics: A social custom view," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    21. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2017. "Online Networks and Subjective Well-Being," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(3), pages 456-480, August.
    22. Tammy R. Vigil & H. Denis Wu, 2015. "Facebook Users’ Engagement and Perceived Life Satisfaction," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 3(1), pages 5-16.
    23. Mohammad Salahuddin & Clem Tisdell & Lorelle Burton & Khorshed Alam, 2015. "Social Capital Formation, Internet Usage and Economic Growth in Australia: Evidence from Time Series Data," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(4), pages 942-953.
    24. Sabatini Fabio, 2011. "Can a click buy a little happiness? The impact of business-to-consumer e-commerce on subjective well-being," wp.comunite 0076, Department of Communication, University of Teramo.
    25. Mohammad Salahuddin & Khorshed Alam & Lorelle Burton, 2016. "Does Internet Usage Stimulate the Accumulation of Social Capital? A Panel nvestigation for Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development Countries," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 6(1), pages 347-353.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internet; computer-mediated communication; online networking; Facebook; social networks; social capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games

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