Women's social media needs and online social capital: Bonding and bridging social capital in Pakistan

This article studied women's online social capital in the low-income and traditionally patriarchal society of Pakistan. The research focused on two objectives: to identify the needs of social media among Pakistani women; and to measure the impact of social media needs on their social capital, especially with respect to establishing and bridging social capital. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 240 women. A measurement model was developed, and path analysis was performed using Smart-PLS. Results revealed a significant correlation between social media needs and social capital. Furthermore, it was found that Pakistani women's social media needs positively correlate with bonding social capital; however, a significant relationship was also observed for bridging social capital as well. Quantitative analysis produced results contrary to widely held notions regarding women and social capital, which suggests a need for additional quantitative analysis as well as further qualitative research to explore the nuances of women's online social capital in developing and traditional societies.