Relation Among ICT Usage and Bridging/Bonding Social Capital: The Moderating Role of Basic Human Values

Psychological Studies. 2025. Vol. 70. No. 1. P. 1–8.

Alexander N. Tatarko, Ekaterina V. Maklasova

The study examines the relationship between involvement in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and bridging/bonding social capital, taking into account the individual values of the respondent. We suggested that, according to Schwartz, individual values can act as moderators of the association between involvement in the use of ICTs and bridging/bonding social capital, i.e., respondents with different values may have different associations. The study was conducted online on a sample of 990 respondents. We found that involvement in the use of ICTs is positively associated with both types of social capital and two of the four highest-order values (“Self-Enhancement” and “Openness to Change”). These values are the effects of the relationship between involvement in the use of ICTs and social capital. People with high Self-Enhancement values are less likely to need ICTs to maintain their social capital. People with high values of Openness to Change, on the contrary, are more likely to use ICTs to maintain social connections and social capital.

Keywords: basic human values, information and communication technologies, moderation, bridging social capital, Bonding social capital

Publication based on the results of: Comparative studies of culture and subjective well-being: differentiation and integration of societies in the context of global challenges (2025)