Weak Ties in Networked Communities

dc.contributor.authorKavanaugh, A.
dc.contributor.authorReese, D.D.
dc.contributor.authorCarroll, J.M.
dc.contributor.authorRosson, M.B.
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-15T12:07:39Z
dc.date.available2017-04-15T12:07:39Z
dc.date.issued2003
dc.description.abstractCommunities with high levels of social capital are likely to have a higher quality of life than communities with low social capital (Coleman, 1988, 1990
dc.description.abstractPutnam, 1993, 2000). This is due to the greater ability of such communities to organize and mobilize effectively for collective action because they have high levels of social trust, social networks, and well-established norms of mutuality (the major features of social capital). Communities with ‘bridging’ social capital (weak ties across groups) as well as ‘bonding’ social capital (strong ties within groups) are the most effective in organizing for collective action (Granovetter, 1973
dc.description.abstractPutnam, 2000). People who belong to multiple groups act as bridging ties Simmel [1908] 1950
dc.description.abstractWellman, 1988). When people with bridging ties use communication media, such as the Internet, they enhance their capability to educate community members, and organize, as needed, for collective action. This paper summarizes evidence from stratified household survey data in Blacksburg, Virginia showing that people with weak (bridging) ties across groups have higher levels of community involvement, civic interest and collective efficacy than people without bridging ties to groups. Moreover, heavy Internet users with bridging ties have higher social engagement, use the Internet for social purposes, and have been attending more local meetings and events since going online than heavy Internet users with no bridging ties. These findings may suggest that the Internet – in the hands of bridging individuals -- is a tool for maintaining social relations, information exchange, and increasing face-to-face interaction, all of which help to build both bonding and bridging social capital in communities.
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/978-94-017-0115-0_14
dc.identifier.isbn978-94-017-0115-0
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer London, Dordrecht Amsterdam
dc.relation.ispartofCommunities and Technologies: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Communities and Technologies 2003
dc.relation.ispartofseriesCommunities and Technologies
dc.titleWeak Ties in Networked Communities
dc.typeText
gi.citation.endPage286
gi.citation.startPage265
gi.conference.sessiontitleFull Papers

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