社会阶层加剧了社会资本获取的不平等吗?——基于社会资本维度数字结果沟的实证分析

Does Social Class Exacerbate Inequality in Access to Social Capital?——Empirical Analysis Based on Digital Outcome Gaps in the Social Capital Dimension

本研究探讨我国网络用户的前两级数字鸿沟(数字接入沟、数字使用沟)和社会资本维度的数字结果沟之间的关系,并重点探究数字时代中网络用户的社会阶层是否加剧了人们获取社会资本的不平等现象。为此研究检验了社会阶层的中介效应和调节效应,数据源来自2017年CGSS中的1727名被访者,分别测量了数字接入沟与使用沟(网络设备数量、网络使用年限、网络使用行为)、社会阶层和社会资本(社会网络规模、社会网络密度、社会网络趋同性)等指标。结果表明:(1)前两级数字鸿沟对社会资本维度的数字结果沟有显著影响作用,即用户的网络接入和使用差异越大,社会网络规模等社会资本因素的差距也越大;(2)统计结果不能接受我国网络用户的社会阶层因素具有中介作用;(3)数据分析结果同样不能接受我国网络用户的社会阶层因素具有调节效应。结论:目前的数据分析还无法支持我国网络用户的社会阶层加剧了他们社会资本获取的不平等这一假设。

The present study aimed to explored the relationship between the first two digital divides(digital access gap,digital usage gap) and the digital outcome gap in the dimension of social capital in China, and focused on whether the social class of internet users in the digital age exacerbated inequalities in people’s access to social capital. For this purpose, the study examined the mediating and moderating effects of social class. The data source comes from 1,727 respondents in CGSS in 2017,measuring the digital access and usage gaps(number of network devices, network usage years, network usage behaviors), social class and social capital(social network size, social network density, social network convergence) and other indicators. It was found that:(1) the first two levels of digital divide had a significant impact on the digital outcome gap in the dimension of social capital, that is, the greater the difference in users’ network access and usage, the greater the gap in social capital factors such as social network scale;( 2) the statistical results could not accept the mediating effect of social class factor of internet users;(3) The data analysis results also could not accept the social class factor of Chinese internet users had a moderating effect. Conclusion: The current data analysis could not support the assumption that the social class of Chinese Internet users exacerbated the inequality of their social capital acquisition.