The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among the social network service usage, social capital and economic effects. In particular, it explores motivations in the use of social network service. Also, the motivations in the use of ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship among the social network service usage, social capital and economic effects. In particular, it explores motivations in the use of social network service. Also, the motivations in the use of social network service are classified into two types, 'expressive' and 'instrumental'. These two types are originated and specialized from Social Capital by Nan Lin(2001). Secondly, it analyzes the relationship between the motivations in the use of social network service and social capital. Social capital consists of life satisfaction, trust, participation. Thirdly, this study analyzes the direct and indirect relationship between the social network service usage and personal economic effects. The mediator is social capital.
Data were collected by conducting a survey of 425 university students in South Korea from April 20 through May 5, 2011. Reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis(EFA) were conducted in advance to analyze reliability and validity of information quality of social capital and personal economic effects. And a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship among the social network service usage, social capital and economic effects.
Findings of this study show that there are eight types of motivations in the use of social network service such as 'obtaining information', 'self expression', 'social bonding with an acquaintance', 'social bridging with a stranger', 'fun', 'self-complacency', 'interaction' and 'trend'. On the basis of the primary survey, 'self expression', 'social bonding with an acquaintance', 'fun', 'self-complacency' were classified as expressive motivation. And 'obtaining information', 'social bridging with a stranger', 'interaction', 'trend' were classified as instrumental motivation.
In regard to the relationship between the motivations in the use of social network service and social capital, 'obtaining information' and 'social bonding with an acquaintance' statistically have positive effects on social capital but 'fun', 'interaction' and 'self-complacency' have negative effects on social capital. And 'self expression', 'social bridging with a stranger' and 'trend' have no effects.
In regard to the direct and indirect relationship between the social network service usage and personal economic effects, 'social bonding with an acquaintance' and 'self-complacency' of expressive motivation have an indirect relationship with social capital. On the other hand 'obtaining information' of instrumental motivation has a direct relationship with social capital.
Through these results, this study suggests that the social network service usage just don't link to the accumulation of social capital. Accumulation of social capital in social network service could be possible only when people interact with others positively. Also, this study gives guidelines regarding how to utilize social capital in the social network service. If a person or a company wants to utilize social capital in social network service, they have to approach considering the user's motivation in the use of social network service.