title: Latent Class Models in action: bridging social capital & Internet usage.
abstract: This paper explores how Latent Class Models (LCM) can be applied in social research, when the basic assumptions of regression models cannot be validated. We examine the usefulness of this method with data collected from a study on the relationship between bridging social capital and the Internet. Social capital is defined here as the resources that are potentially available in one's social ties. Bridging is a dimension of social capital, usually related to weak ties (acquaintances), and a source of instrumental resources such as information. The study surveyed a stratified random sample of 417 inhabitants of Lisbon, Portugal. We used LCM to create the variable bridging social capital, but also to estimate the relationship between bridging social capital and Internet usage when we encountered convergence problems with the logistic regression analysis. We conclude by showing a positive relationship between bridging and Internet usage, and by discussing the potential of LCM for social science research.
authors.affiliation: TAGlab, University of Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: barbara@bbneves.com.
authors.forename: Barbara Barbosa
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: University of Lisbon, Institute of Social and Political Sciences, CAPP - Centre for Public Administration and Policies, Rua Almerindo Lessa, 1300-663 Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: jaimefonseca@iscsp.ulisboa.pt.
authors.forename: Jaime R S
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011174:Portugal; D066270:Social Capital; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bridging social capital; Email; Internet; Latent Class Models; Logistic regression models; Social networking sites