Examining the interplay between universal behavioural tendencies, online social networks and social capital

摘要

Interaction with others is fundamental to well-being, as it serves to fulfil our basic needs. Thus humans have various behavioural tendencies, patterns of behaviour that serve as strategies to fulfil these needs. Given the increasingly crucial role of online social networks on our communication and interaction, it is important to study these factors in the online context. In this thesis we explore how universal behavioural tendencies, i.e. behavioural tendencies that have been observed across cultures, affect our online interaction and how these in turn affect social capital. Focusing on disclosure behaviour and social network structure as proxies for online interaction behaviour, this work consists of three main components developed over four studies. Firstly, we attempt to understand how the tendency to reciprocate affects individuals’ willingness to disclose information about themselves. Secondly, we study the interplay between individuals’ disclosure patterns and their positions in the network. Finally, we study how individuals, along with their differences in universal behavioural tendencies, accrue social capital from the structure of their immediate networks. Key findings include: (1) People tend to reciprocate the disclosure of personal information, both when the initial disclosure is directed towards them, and also when it is broadcast and directed to nobody in particular, (2) The centrality of individuals in a social network is related to how much information they disclose, and how much others disclose to them, and (3) Online social network structure is related to social capital, and network structure and empathy play an interconnected role in the creation of social capital. The empirical findings, discussions and methodologies presented in this work will be useful for HCI and social science researchers studying the fundamental aspects of humans’ use of social technologies.