On the nature of digitally mediated social ties, example of using Twitter.

1. THE LIQUIDITY OF DIGITALLY
MEDIATED SOCIAL TIES
CORNELIA REYES
ACOSTA
L O N DO N SCH O O L O F ECO N O MICS
SU N BEL T XXXV
J U N E 2 8 2 0 1 5

2. A BIT OF CONTEXT
- Data emerging from qualitative social network
research with creative professionals
- Relevance of digitally mediated social ties in
view of social capital resources
- Overriding question: How do individuals
perceive of digitally mediated social ties?
- Aim: Characterize these ties based on their
perceived qualities.

3. SOCIAL TIES AS WE KNOW THEM …
• Strong ties: strong bond  formed as a result of time,
interaction and affection (Krackhardt, 1992)
• Weak ties: less clearly defined, understood by exhibiting
a weaker expression of strong tie characteristics
• Latent ties: inactivated ties, characterized by their
potentiality (e.g. Haythornthwaite 1992, Ellison et al.,
2011)

4. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT
ABOUT SOCIAL TIES …
• Digitally mediated forms of social interaction challenge
existing definitions  Digitally mediated social ties
often do not tie in with current appreciation of social
ties!
• Social network research and SNA in particular operate
within a relatively rigid frame of definitions of social
ties.
• Researchers are primarily drawing on the Strong
tie/Weak tie dichotomy to characterize social
connections in a social network.

5. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information

6. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE

7. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust)

8. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME +

9. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +

10. AFFORDANCES OF SOCIAL TIES
HELPED TO CLARIFY THE FRICTION
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION

11. EXAMPLE: TRACING
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIGITALLY
MEDIATED SOCIAL TIES
A story of using Twitter and the attainment of
insider information …
“If you want to get in touch with people then
Twitter is a good way because … it’s more
likely that they’re going to respond if you
have specifics on what they’re going to be
doing and you’ve done your research”
Lilie, photographer

12. EXAMPLE: TWITTER AS A SHORTCUT
TO ESTABLISH TRUST?
“So you could choose to, I don't know, if you're planning to
Tweet them and you wanted to be, like, strategic about it, you
could choose, three days before, to Tweet a lot of things you
know they'd be interested in, and then to Tweet them. So then
they might think; well, they're in the know about this subject.”
Lilie, photography student

13. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information

14. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE

15. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE (Trust)

16. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE (Trust) = TIME +

17. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE (Trust) = TIME +

18. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +

19. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
? TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION + INTERACTION

20. “TWITTER” TIE = SOCIAL TIE?
• Baseline Assumption (Traditional route)
Obtain Insider information
STRONG TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION +
INTERACTION
• Alternative Assumption (Twitter route)
Obtain Insider information
LIQUID TIE (Trust) = TIME + AFFECTION + INTERACTION

21. AND ONE OTHER THING …
“ … everyone goes by really quickly… and each time, you meet
someone new, you’ve got to … you have to delete someone
almost, because your mind can’t handle. And you know, if you
ask me about this, in say … 2 or 3 months time, it all might look
completely different.”
Lilie, photography student

22. LIQUIDITY AS THE MAIN
CHARACTERISTIC
“… fluids do not keep to any shape for a long time
and are constantly ready (and prone) to change: that
space, after all, they fill but ‘for a moment’.
Bauman, ‘On Being Light and Liquid’

23. THE LIQUIDITY IN SOCIAL TIES
“In a network, connections are entered on demand,
and can be broken at will. […] Connections are
‘virtual relations’. Unlike old-fashioned relationships,
[…] they seem to be made to the measure of a liquid
modern life setting.”
Bauman, ‘Liquid Love’

24. FOOD FOR THOUGHT … WHAT DO
WE MAKE OF THIS?
1. In terms of characterising digitally mediated
social ties as liquid ties.
 They can emulate affordances of previously
defined types of social ties WITHOUT fulfilling
their requirements  How do they fit in with
previous definitions then?
2. The crux of the moving target: Tracing network
structures in the digital age?
 Which tools are adequate in tracing networks
and social relationships effectively?

25. A BIG THANKS TO YOU! AND IF
YOU WANT TO GET IN TOUCH …
@reyes_cornelia