Social Capital: It’s Not Who You Know, It’s How You Know Them

Week 11

Social Capital: It’s Not Who You Know, It’s How You Know Them

November 10, 2014

         In the article, It’s Not Who You Know, It’s How You Know Them, suggests “giving support is strongly associated with getting it” and that this is the key to reciprocation. Reciprocation often comes “in kind but sometimes with other forms of support.” [Plickert et al]. Reciprocity is described as “doing for others if they have done for you- a key way people mobilize resources to deal with daily life and seize the opportunities.” [Plickert et al]. These exchanges are central to obtaining network capital: social capital that is embedded in interpersonal relations that can provide custom-tailored helpful resources that flexible, efficient and effective.” [Lin, 2001, 2005]. Even though, the question to raise here is “where does reciprocity come from, and how much value have I gained by interacting with other learners online?

         First to address is “where does reciprocity come from?” Reciprocity comes from a simple notion of doing to others as I would have them do to me. This is the Golden Rule: “if I give you X, you would give me X back, either because of normative pressure or out of self-interest.” [Plickert et al].

         So what is “X”? In an online course, it of course could be the emotional support and camaraderie that comes from the social interaction in shared projects, or breakout discussions on given topics, or even dialogue that ensues outside the parameters of the online course environment.

         Second, this leads to what I have gained by interacting with other learners online. The value gained derives from a collective sharing and caring. Sharing of one’s ideas, skills in navigating uncharted waters of new technology, empathy and understanding that foster further learning and acceptance of new Web 2.0 tools.

         Over time, I believe social capital is raised through such relationships that can develop into strong ties, which continue to increase the likelihood of reciprocal exchange. In sum, it is the similarities between network members that can foster support. [Plickert et al].

         A final thought.

         In the words of Mikhail Bakunin, “No person can recognize or realize his or her own humanity except by recognizing it in others and so cooperating for its realization by each and all.”  

References

Lin, N., 2001. Building a network theory of social capital. In: Ron, B. (Ed.), Social Capital: Theory and Research.  Aldine de Gruyter Inc., New York.

Lin, N., 2005. A network theory of social capital. In: Wolleb, G. (Ed.), Forthcoming in Handbook on Social Capital.

Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Plickert. G, Wellman, B. & Côté, R. (2007). It’s not who you know, it’s how you know them: Who exchanges what with whom.