I´m Not Just Wasting Time Online! Test of Situational Awareness: An Exploratory Study

We explored the relationship between self-monitoring and the interaction of other-based reciprocity and online social network awareness on bridging social capital. We predicted that self-monitoring would be positively related to understanding other-based reciprocity, and that online social network awareness would moderate and strengthen the relationship between other-based reciprocity and bridging social capital. In doing so, we provide theoretical and empirical support for a concept called situational awareness, which is an individuals´ generalized awareness of their social network environment, operationalized through the two components of understanding other-based reciprocity and online network awareness. The results from our study (N=255) support that high self-monitors understand others´ reciprocity beliefs and higher levels of online bridging capital are the consequence of situational awareness.