Mobile Phones as Network Capital: Facilitating Connections

Abstract

Mobile phones enable interaction at times and in places where it was previously impossible, facilitating social networks. This paper identifies and explores the ways in which mobile phones increase the social support afforded by a network, improving access to contacts and promoting the development and maintenance of personal relationships. Mobile phones are ‘network capital’ (Larsen et al., 2006a Larsen, J. , Axhausen, K. W. and Urry, J. 2006a. Geographies of social networks: meetings, travel and communications. Mobilities, 1(9): 261–283. [Taylor & Francis Online] [Google Scholar] ) because they expedite the availability of social support in a network. The exploratory research involved 32 UK mobile phone users, and combined several different qualitative research techniques: communication diaries; text message analysis; and interviews. The paper concludes that mobile phones increase access to networks and facilitate the development and maintenance of network ties; this highlights the catalytic role of communication technology in social networks.