| By: |
Antoci Angelo;
Sabatini Fabio;
Sodini Mauro |
| Abstract: |
Empirical studies have documented a decline in indicators of social
participation in the last decades. The responsibility of social disengagement
has been often attributed to pervasive busyness and the rising pressure of
time. In this paper we argue that computer-mediated interaction, and
particularly online networking, can help mitigate this downward trend. We
develop a logical framework for assessing the role of the internet in the
evolution of social participation. We analyze an economy where agents can
develop their social interactions through two main modes of participation, one
encompassing both online networking and face to face interactions, and another
solely based on physical encounters. We study the interdependence between the
rise in the pressure of time and the variation in the relative performance of
the two strategies of participation. |
| Keywords: |
Internet, computer-mediated communication, online networking, Facebook, social networks, social capital |
| JEL: |
O33 Z13 |
| Date: |
2011–03 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ter:wpaper:0072&r=ict |