Subjective Social Capital and Loneliness for the Elderly: The Moderator Role of Line and Facebook Use

Abstract

Social media has become a vital source of communication for older adults, but its impact is still an ongoing debate. This study investigated the moderating effect of Line and Facebook use on social capital and loneliness in older adults, aged 55 or more, using data obtained from the 2018 Taiwan Communication Survey (TCS). Results from binary logistic regression indicated that older adult users of Line have a lower possibility of being lonely than those who do not use Line. Consistent with past studies, this study found that Line could be a form of social media that has a positive effect on the relationship between social capital and loneliness. Conversely, this article argues that Facebook does not have such a moderation effect. Overall, this study advances understanding of the impact of Facebook and Line on social capital and loneliness. The results are informative for future research on the effects of social media on the elderly.