One Big Happy Family: Bridging and Bonding Social capital in families using Social Networking Sites

Abstract

Social networking has become a major mode of communication over the past decade. Professional networks such as Linkedin, Ecademy, Cofoundr have gained popularity among business and entrepreneurs while for personal use Facebook, Whatsapp and MySpace have achieved worldwide acceptability. Families, friends and significant others are using Hike, Instagram, Twitter, Messenger and other applications for regular interaction, providing social support, incite feelings of patriotism, collective identity and social interest. Studies on negative impacts of Social Networking Sites have outnumbered and overshadowed the researches that focus on its positive outcome. It is imperative to study, explore and find novel ways to use SNS for society’s benefit. India is undergoing radical changes and the young adults and adolescents are building new ways of bridging and bonding social capital. The present paper presents a theoretical model that explains the causal relation of use of Social Networking Sites with social capital and psychological wellbeing in purview and highlights the positive outcomes of use Social Networking Sites (from here on SNS) among youth and its utility in maintaining family values and relations in this fast paced environment with Indian population in perspective. Need for empirical research on the positive outcome of SNS in Indian population has been emphasized along with recommendations for development of close bonds with family and caution of use of SNS among adolescents and young adults has been given.