According to new research conducted by the University of Virginia and the London Business School, the size of one’s social network is correlated to one’s socioeconomic status. Wealthier individuals are more likely than those who are less affluent to have large but shallow Facebook connections while those who earn low incomes are more likely to have small but deep groups of Facebook friends. Low income workers who move often are an exception to this generalization as is illustrated at right.
So What?
Being Facebook friends means different things to different people.
- Would you consider your Facebook network of friends to fit better in the large but shallow or small but deep category? How intentional have you been about shaping the overall size of those you have friended?
- For you, how many Facebook friends = too many?
- How do you define “Facebook friendship”?