Video Sharing as Social Exchange in Social Media Environments: A Model Grounded in Social Capital Theory

Abstract

This study examines why individuals exchange videos on social media by applying social capital theory, which explains how social networks, trust, and shared norms contribute to the phenomenon. Based on the highly regarded model of the structural, relational, and cognitive aspects of social capital, this study examines the impact of social interaction, trust, reciprocity, sense of belonging, and homophily on users' intentions to share video content. The data were gathered via a self-administered survey and analysed by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM was selected because it is suitable for studying complex relationships among latent variables. Results show that social tie interaction and reciprocity are significant predictors of video-sending behaviour, whereas trust, sense of belonging, and homophily are not directly associated with intentions to share. The significant mediation effect shows that reciprocity enhances video-sending intention indirectly through sense of belonging. The findings offer new sociological insight into video-sharing as a symbolic and relational action grounded in norms of exchange and social bonding. The study adds depth to our understanding of online sociality and theorizes everyday practices in platform-mediated communication.

Keywords

• Social Capital
• Video Sharing
• Social Media
• Reciprocity
• Structural Equation Modelling (SEM)

Sosyal Medyada Bir Değiş Tokuş Aracı Olarak Video Paylaşımı: Sosyal Sermaye Kuramına Dayalı Bir Model

Abstract

Bu çalışma, bireylerin sosyal medyada video paylaşım davranışlarını sosyal sermaye kuramı kullanarak incelemektedir. Sosyal sermayenin yapısal, ilişkisel ve bilişsel boyutlarını temel alarak, sosyal etkileşim bağları, güven, karşılıklılık, aidiyet duygusu ve homofilinin video paylaşma eğilimleri üzerine etkisini araştırmaktadır. Anket yoluyla toplanan veriler, Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi ile analiz edilmiştir. YEM, ölçüm kalitesi yeterli olduğu sürece orta büyüklükteki örneklemlerde örtük değişkenler arasındaki karmaşık ilişkileri incelemeye uygunluğu ile bilinmektedir. Bulgular, sosyal etkileşim bağları ve karşılıklılığın video paylaşma davranışını anlamlı biçimde yordadığını göstermektedir. Buna karşılık güven, aidiyet duygusu ve homofili paylaşma niyeti üzerinde doğrudan etki göstermemiştir. Aracılık etkisi analizi, karşılıklılığın aidiyet duygusu üzerinden dolaylı olarak video paylaşma niyetini güçlendirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Sonuç olarak bu çalışma, video paylaşımını sosyal sermaye kuramının farklı normatif boyutları içinde işleyen bir değiş-tokuş ve sosyal bağ kurma sürecinin parçası olan sembolik bir eylem olarak kavramsallaştırmakta; bu davranışı açıklayan bütüncül bir sosyal sermaye modeli önermektedir.

Keywords

• Sosyal Sermaye
• Video Paylaşımı
• Sosyal Medya
• Karşılıklılık
• Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi (YEM)

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