Internet Use and Social Capital: The Strength of Virtual Ties

1970 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of technology on society

The introduction of the Internet has represented a wave of global change amongst society. It has changed a large scale of aspects; socially, economically and culturally. It has caused society to change how they carry out day to day activities and how they communicate. Many academics would suggest that the world has essentially become a much smaller place as forms of global communication have evolved and is now quicker and easier than ever. The internet ‘has the unique ability to transmit information and build relationships among large groups of physically disconnected individuals’. (Pasek: 2009:6)

The inception of the Internet came about in the 1980’s but it wasn’t until a global boom of users erupted as it became more affordable in the 1990’s. Since then, a more broad-minded generation has been born. Today, there is an increasing number of households with internet access. (60% of American households have internet access) (Quan-Haase: 2002: 1). Many people state that ‘access is a daily activity… [and it affects] the way people live, work and play in the developed world’. (Quan-Haase: 2002: 1) Millions of people have internet access on their smart phones which means that accessing the internet can be done anytime, anywhere. Research shows that the majority of younger generations are online, ‘88% in 2006’. (Pasek: 2009: 4)

This wave of change has led academics to examine how society is affected in terms of communication. The advantages seem endless, people can face-to-face video chat with each other no matter of their geographic location. The use of the internet does however, have its disadvantages. Does the internet make society less sociable and thus lose out on resources to gain social capital?

There is a wide range of defi...

... middle of paper ...

...able at: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0360-0572%281998%2924%3C1%3ASCIOAA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-D (Accessed: 01/12/2013).

* Putnam, R., D., (2007) ‘E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture.’ Scandinavian Political Studies 30, no. 2 pp. 137-174.

* Putnam, R (2001) 'Social Capital: Measurement & Consequences ', Canadian Journal of Policy Research, (), pp.1-3 Available at: http://www.visionaryvalues.com/wiki/images/Putnam_SocialCapital.pdf (Accessed: 01/12/2013).

* Quan-Haase, A. & Wellman, B. (2002) ‘How does the Internet Affect Social Capital’ in M. Huysman & Wulf, V. (edn) IT and Social Capital. Available at http://homes.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman/publications/internetsocialcapital/Net_SC-09.PDF

* Siisiainen, M (2000) Two Concepts of Social Capital: Bourdieu vs. Putnam, Dublin: University of Jyvaskyla.

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Robert D. Putnam's Bowling Alone

    215 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Bowling Alone Robert D. Putnam, writes about the decline of social capital and some reason for why it is happening. Putnam finds that there is a decline in social interactions all across the board from work place, religion, and even family. Putnam believes that the reason for the decline is that “Gen X’ers” are into themselves. Consequently, with that mind set the chances that one would be depressed, commit a crime, or commit suicide would be much higher. However, Putnam also suggested that we could increase social capital and bring it back to the post WW2 numbers.

    Read More

  • Social Capital And Cultural Capital Essay

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    To fully understand why social, economic, and cultural capital could lead to success or failure, it is essential to know the difference between the three. Social capital is defined by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development as “the links, shared values, and understandings in society that enable individuals and groups to trust each other and to work together” (OECD, 2015). Social capital can be multiple things including family members, colleagues, and strangers who have the

    Read More

  • The Globalisation of Obesity

    3548 Words  | 8 Pages

    Putnam, Robert (2000) Bowling Alone. The Collapse and Revival of American Social Capital, Simon and Schuster, New York.

    Read More

  • Child Rearing Theory

    1025 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Unequal Childhood - Class, Race, and Family Life, Annette Lareau tributes the French social scientist Pierre Bourdieu when using his theory of the forms of capital as a fundamental argument on her study. In this theory, Bourdieu recognizes three different types of capital; social, symbolical and cultural. Bourdieu describes social capital as “the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition.” This means that social capital is based on resources built from personal relationships, club memberships and other social influence and connections. The second form of capital,

    Read More

  • Behind the Scenes of Tracking

    878 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ream, Robert K., and Gregory J. Palardy. "Reexamining Social Class Differences in the Availability and the Educational Utility of Parental Social Capital." American Educational Research Journal 45.2 (2008): 238-273. JSTOR. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Pierre Bourdieu Power Essay

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cultural capital has great power through the control and maintenance of traditions, expected and accepted roles and behaviours, notably gender roles, important artefacts, language, institutions and services (Navarro, 2006). Of these, two essential contributors being educational facilities and religious institutions (Navarro, 2006). Finally, economic capital holds power through property and literal financial capital or monetary resources, this empowers individuals to have some degree of agency and autonomy (Navarro, 2006). This gives power to individuals to interact with higher classes, or form part of such, to purchase and interact with goods and services that are valued by the society and in turn receive respect and enhances social status (Navarro,

    Read More

  • Conformity

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tyler, R. T. (2002). Is the Internet Changing Social Life? Journal of Social Issues, 58 (1), 195-205.

    Read More

  • Negative Essay: How Does Technology Helps Our Society?

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the first essay, What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow up in Cyberspace by Brent Staples, there were several interesting points made about whether technology helps or harms our everyday lives. Social networking has increased the ability to socialize with people all around the world in a revolutionary way. Being able to access so many social oriented websites, it has helped advance our connections by allowing the elderly who had been isolated before they gained access to the web. However, even though it has increased the potential of communicative opportunity, it has also brought some harmful reality to light. While increasing the connections of the elderly, research shows that it is beginning to isolate the younger generations. The youth of today are losing the

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Theories of Social Capital by Pierre Bourdieu and James Coleman

    2540 Words  | 6 Pages

    Whilst both identify social capital with social structure, they do so differently, in ways that reflect the theoretical underpinnings of their respective approaches and the aspects of social reality they seek to understand. Both Coleman and Bourdieu emphasize the intangible character of social capital relative to other forms. As Portes (1998) notes, economic capital can be found in peoples’ bank accounts, whilst human capital resides in peoples’ heads.

    Read More

  • The Internet in China

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Internet has become a major tool for communication and access to information for over two and half billion people (Wright 121). Although Internet has become an unavoidable reality that is consuming our planet in a web of information. This process is being shaped by our actions and choices which ultimately drives us together (Deibert 11). Nowadays China has over 538 million netizens, the world’s largest online community (Feng & Guo 335).

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Internet

    1596 Words  | 4 Pages

    The use of the Internet has exploded in the past few decades, and the age of the user is swiftly declining as well (Greenfield, Patricia, and Zheng Yan). “The spread of Internet access has been described as nine times faster than that of radio, four times faster than the personal computer, and three times faster than television” (Shields, Margie, and Behrman 5). The Internet has woven itself into people’s daily lives and has really changed culture in numerous ways. It has helped make education more accessible, especially to those in developing countries. Specifically, it has brought life-saving health practices and information to those who otherwise would have gone without it.

    Read More

  • Emergence of Social Capital

    1427 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social Capital as Coleman (1989) defined by its function, “is not a single entity but a variety of different entities, with two elements in common: they all consist of some aspect of social structures, and they facilitate certain actions of actors-whether persons or corporate actors-within the structure”. Definition by Fukuyama (...

    Read More

  • The Internet´s Impact in Our Lives

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    Days, months, and years go by and we do not notice them. Living in such a busy world, we are not always aware of the changes in our lives. Twenty years ago, if someone was told we would be able to buy groceries, pay our bills, buy stocks or even a car through the use of a computer, we might have laughed and blamed too much science fiction television for such wild accusations. However, as the next generation of children grows up, they may find it funny that people still send letters to each other through the post office. The development of the Internet has given us the ability to communicate and exchange information instantly across vast distances. The Internet has caused a huge impact in the communication field, and has made our way of living and working a lot easier, faster, and cheaper than before.

    Read More

  • The role of culture in the economic development of countries

    3230 Words  | 7 Pages

    Woolcock, Michael, and Deepa Narayan. Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy. World Bank, Jan 1999.

    Read More

  • The Impact of the Internet on Society

    1597 Words  | 4 Pages

    The internet has influenced, and is still influencing the way society communicates in many different ways. The rise of the internet has caused people to communicate differently in areas never dreamed of before the internet came into existence. Education has been revolutionized through the world of the “Information Super Highway”. Medicine has also seen reform as the internet improves research and communication. Individuals are starting businesses from scratch, while others are selling household items for extra cash. This internet “typhoon” sweeping the globe has become a way of life for many individuals all across the globe.

    Read More

More about Internet Use and Social Capital: The Strength of Virtual Ties

Open Document