idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Cross-sectional studies have shown that users of business networks such as LinkedIn and Xing report higher informational benefits than non-users. However, it was unclear whether LinkedIn use causes higher informational benefits (media effect) or whether people who already have higher informational benefits are simply more likely to use these platforms (selection effect). Researchers from Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) Tübingen found evidence for both effects in a longitudinal study.
Tübingen, January 16, 2017. Prof. Dr. Sonja Utz and Dr. Johannes Breuer from the IWM followed a representative sample of Dutch online users for two years to examine whether users of business networks such as LinkedIn can retrieve professional informational benefits from their online network and whether these effects are really due to social media use. Examples for professional informational benefits are receiving relevant work-related information timely or receiving referrals to career opportunities from one’s network.
Respondent received twice a year a survey on their social media use. The working subsample (n = 1959 in Wave 1, n = 1953 in Wave 4) also reported on their professional informational benefits.
The results of the study, which recently appeared in the journal Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research in Cyberspace found across all waves that LinkedIn users reported significantly higher professional informational benefits than non-users. For a large part, this seemed to be a selection effect: People who have better access to professionally relevant information were more likely to use LinkedIn or other social network sites for professional purposes.
However, there were also concurrent and longitudinal media effects. Passively reading updates was less effective; posting professional content and especially activity in groups were positively related to informational benefits within the same wave. For the number of strong and weak ties on the network (i.e. close friends vs. acquaintances), longitudinal effects occurred. Having a larger network at a certain time resulted in higher informational benefits half a year later. An interesting shift was observed: In the early waves, the number of weak ties mattered more than the number of strong ties. Over time, the weak ties became less important and the strong ties became more important for informational benefits. “We just asked for the number of strong and weak ties, but not for the names of the respective LinkedIn contacts. It could thus be that weaker ties that provided useful information are considered as strong ties half a year later” says Prof. Dr. Sonja Utz.
Taken together, the results show that using LinkedIn or other professional platforms can increase informational benefits. Active use pays off immediately, whereas it takes time to build a network. However, there are also personal characteristics, maybe better networking skills, that prompt people who have higher informational professional benefits to make use of business networks.
The study is part of the ERC-Starting Grant project ReDefTie (Redefining tie strength – how social media (can) help us to get non-redundant useful information and emotional support).
Link to the study (open access):
http://www.cyberpsychology.eu/view.php?cisloclanku=2016112801
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Sonja Utz, Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Schleichstraße 6, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. Tel.: 0049 7071/ 979-308, E-Mail: s.utz@iwm-tuebingen.de
The Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien
The Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tuebingen analyses teaching and learning with digital technologies. In a multidisciplinary environment, around 80 scientists from cognition, behavioural and social sciences work on solving research questions concerning individual and collective knowledge acquisition in media environments.
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Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Schleichstraße 6, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. Tel.: 0049 7071/ 979-222, E-Mail: presse@iwm-tuebingen.de
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The Leibniz Association connects 91 independent research institutions that range in focus from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences via economics, spatial and social sciences to the humanities. Leibniz institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance. They conduct knowledge-driven and applied basic research, maintain scientific infrastructure and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer to policy-makers, academia, business and the public. Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – in the form of “Leibniz ScienceCampi” (thematic partnerships between university and non-university research institutes), for example – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to an independent evaluation procedure that is unparalleled in its transparency. Due to the importance of the institutions for the country as a whole, they are funded jointly by the federation and the federal states, employing some 18,600 individuals, including 9,500 researchers. The entire budget of all the institutes is approximately 1.7 billion EUR.
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