소셜미디어에서 사회적 자본이 소비자의 자기표현과 정보공유에 미치는 영향 연구

Abstract

This study defined three types of social capital formed by social media users (bonding social capital, bridging social capital, and maintained social capital), and examined the influence of social capital on information sharing behavior that involves self-connection and social-connection with the structural equation model. As a result, the study confirmed that all social capital types had a meaningful influence on both self-connection and social-connection. Furthermore, hypotheses were supported as self-connection and social connection had a meaningful influence on self-expression and information sharing behavior. The study showed that three social capital types within social media may exist. In conclusion, self-connection gets elevated from the intensification of social media derived from potential values from the meaning and the importance of close relationships, various benefits, and the maintenance of social connections. Meanwhile, the three social capitals also have a positive influence on social connection as they are the services optimized for the sustenance of social relationships considering their value as social media. Also, it may be considered that an individual and social media fully represents one’s identity, and it seems that people are positively continuing information sharing behavior including self-expression and information sharing behaviors. As there are various positive benefits derived from information sharing behavior on online settings, it is interpreted that consumers who are well connected with other people (high social connection) are more engaged in information exchanging activities with peers. The study expects to find further implications on social empathy and sharing behavior as social capital has a positive function. The total number of samples for the analysis was 633, and AMOS structural equation model was utilized for the analysis.