Can Platforms like Facebook Build Social Capital?: A Systematic Review

Ahmad, Z., Soroya, S. H., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Bridging social capital through the use of social networking sites: A systematic literature review. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33(4), 473-489

Social networking sites (SNSs) have revolutionized how people develop and maintain social connections across diverse backgrounds. A comprehensive systematic review examines how SNS usage influences the development of bridging social capital – the weak ties that connect individuals from different social spheres.

Introduction

The explosive growth of social media platforms, particularly Facebook with its 2.91 billion monthly active users, has transformed social interaction patterns globally. While SNSs serve multiple purposes, their fundamental role in facilitating social capital development has drawn significant scholarly attention. Bridging social capital specifically refers to the relationships formed between individuals from diverse backgrounds, characterized by weak ties that provide access to novel information and resources.

Methodology

The researchers conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, analyzing peer-reviewed studies published through 2021. The review process began with 1,860 documents identified through database searches of Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion criteria, 29 quantitative studies were selected for final analysis.

Key Findings

Cultural Differences: The relationship between SNS use and bridging social capital was notably stronger in individualistic Western societies (β=0.97) compared to collectivistic Eastern cultures (β=0.68).

Platform Dominance: Facebook emerged as the predominant platform for developing bridging social capital, featuring in 17 of the 29 studies analyzed.

Positive Impact: All reviewed studies demonstrated a significant positive relationship between SNS use and bridging social capital development, with p-values consistently below .05.

Discussion

The review’s findings highlight SNSs’ crucial role as technological tools for developing and maintaining weak ties across diverse social groups. The stronger effect in Western cultures suggests that individualistic societies may be more predisposed to using social media for expanding social networks beyond close relationships. The dominance of Facebook in bridging social capital development points to the platform’s effective design for facilitating connections across diverse social spheres.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

These findings have substantial implications for mentoring initiatives. Organizations should consider incorporating SNS platforms and Flash Mentoring into their mentoring frameworks to facilitate broader networking opportunities. The cultural differences identified suggest that mentoring programs should adapt their social media strategies based on cultural context, potentially emphasizing different aspects of relationship building in individualistic versus collectivistic societies.