Weak Ties in Networked Communities

Communities with high levels of social capital are likely to have a higher quality of life than communities with low social capital. 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, dense 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. People who belong to multiple groups act as bridging ties. When people with bridging ties use communication media, such as the Internet, they enhance their capability to educate community members and to organize, as needed, for collective action. This article summarizes evidence from stratified household survey data in Blacksburg, VA, 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 among 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 enhancing social relations and information exchange, and for increasing face-to-face interaction, all of which help to build both bonding and bridging social capital in communities.

keywords:

• civic participation
• Internet use and impact
• social capital
• social networks

This research is supported in part by the National Science Foundation, IIS 0080864. We thank our collaborators Albert Bandura, Anne Bishop, Daniel Dunlap, Philip Isenhour, Robert Kraut, Wendy Schafer, and Jennifer Thompson.

Notes

^a Statistics corrected where equal variances not assumed.

^b Statistically significant at p < .01.

^c Statistically significant at p < .05.

^a Significant at p < .01.

^b Significant at p < .05.

^a Significant at p< .01.

^b Significant at p< .05.

^a Significant at p< .01.

^b Significant at p< .05.

^a Significant at p< .01.

^b Approaches significance (p< .1).

Federico Casalegno, doctoral candidate at the Sorbonne, Paris, at the time, collaborated on the design of the project and interviews of community leaders in 1998, and on interviews with BEV seniors in 1996. The author's research assistant, Evonne Noble, assisted with interviews of BEV seniors and community leaders in 1999.

Specifically, these are: the town manager, the finance director for town government, a member of the board of supervisors for the county, and the president of the League of Women Voters.

Representing a Presbyterian church, a Baptist church, a Unitarian meeting, the Islamic Center of Blacksburg, and the Jewish Community Center.

Specifically, the president of New River Arts Council, an umbrella organization representing local performance and graphic arts groups dispersed throughout two adjoining counties.