Working Paper: NBER ID: w29230
Authors: Filipe R. Campante; Ruben Durante; Andrea Tesei
Abstract: We survey the empirical literature in economics on the impact of media technologies on social capital. Motivated by a simple model of information and collective action, we cover a range of different outcomes related to social capital, from social and political participation to interpersonal trust, in its benign and destructive manifestations. The impact of media technologies hinges on their content ("information" vs "entertainment"), their effectiveness in fostering coordination, and the networks they create, as well as individual characteristics and media consumption choices.
Keywords: media; social capital; collective action; information; entertainment
JEL Codes: D71; D72; D74; D83; D84; Z13
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| media technologies (L96) | social capital (Z13) |
| media content type (L82) | social capital (Z13) |
| entertainment media content (L82) | social capital (Z13) |
| internet penetration (L96) | social capital (Z13) |
| TV penetration (L96) | social capital (Z13) |
| homophily (C92) | effectiveness of media in facilitating collective action (D70) |