A Comparative Study of Group Orientation, SNS Usage and Online Social Capital among Korean and Australian Youth

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the different contexts of SNS use and its impact, comparing SNS use and perceived online social capital between Australian adolescents and Korean adolescents. A face-to-face survey of adolescents (12 to 15 year-olds) was conducted in major cities in Korea (N=644) and Australia (N=401). Types of SNS use and both online bonding and bridging social capital were measured There was no significant difference in time spent on SNS between the two countries’ adolescents; however, significant differences in the way adolescents use SNS were found. Australian adolescents