UM  > Faculty of Social Sciences  > DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
Residential Collegefalse
Status已發表Published
Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers
Liu, Piper Liping1; Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic2
2021-03-19
Source PublicationMobile Media and Communication
ISSN2050-1579
Volume10Issue:1Pages:76-96
Abstract

This study investigates the contextual and relational characteristics that underlie people’s information and communication technology (ICT) use and the implications for their well-being. We contextualize this investigation according to migrants, because they are faced with disruptions to their personal networks in the migration process that may attenuate the availability of social support and negatively affect their mental health. Migrants tend to be proficient in using mobile ICT to connect with different social ties to fulfill their needs, which potentially makes a difference to their psychological well-being. Through a survey of 504 internal migrant workers in China, we examined the social network factors that underlie multiple mobile ICT use and the attendant influences on social support and psychological well-being. Redressing the overemphasis on the importance of strong ties in extant literature, this study highlights the salience of mobile media multiplexity (i.e., the use of multiple mobile communication channels for social interactions) in weak tie communication and the greater contribution of weak ties toward social support and psychological well-being than strong ties. Our findings suggest that mobile-mediated communicative relationships with newer and more distanced social connections outside their immediate circles enhance the well-being of migrants. We contend that media multiplexity vis-à-vis weak ties underscores the reconfiguration of migrants’ communicative relationships following the separation from original ties and facilitates rewarding interactions with new ties.

KeywordMedia Multiplexity Migrants Mobile Information Communication Technology Use Social Network Tie Strength Well-being
DOI10.1177/20501579211001106
URLView the original
Indexed BySSCI
Language英語English
WOS Research AreaCommunication
WOS SubjectCommunication
WOS IDWOS:000630788700001
PublisherSAGE PUBLICATIONS INC2455 TELLER RD, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91320
Scopus ID2-s2.0-85102750487
Fulltext Access
Citation statistics
Document TypeJournal article
CollectionDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
Faculty of Social Sciences
Corresponding AuthorYeo, Tien Ee Dominic
Affiliation1.Department of Communication, University of Macau, Macao
2.Department of Communication Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
First Author AffilicationUniversity of Macau
Recommended Citation
GB/T 7714
Liu, Piper Liping,Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic. Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers[J]. Mobile Media and Communication, 2021, 10(1), 76-96.
APA Liu, Piper Liping., & Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic (2021). Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers. Mobile Media and Communication, 10(1), 76-96.
MLA Liu, Piper Liping,et al."Weak ties matter: Social network dynamics of mobile media multiplexity and their impact on the social support and psychological well-being experienced by migrant workers".Mobile Media and Communication 10.1(2021):76-96.
Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.
Related Services
Recommend this item
Bookmark
Usage statistics
Export to Endnote
Google Scholar
Similar articles in Google Scholar
[Liu, Piper Liping]'s Articles
[Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic]'s Articles
Baidu academic
Similar articles in Baidu academic
[Liu, Piper Liping]'s Articles
[Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic]'s Articles
Bing Scholar
Similar articles in Bing Scholar
[Liu, Piper Liping]'s Articles
[Yeo, Tien Ee Dominic]'s Articles
Terms of Use
No data!
Social Bookmark/Share
All comments (0)
No comment.
 

Items in the repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.