One thing I’ve seen bubbling up in various research studies is the notion of “Social Obligation”. Here’s an example:
“I received a friend request on Facebook from a guy called Tom. He’s a friend of a good friend of mine but I don’t really know him. To be honest, I’m not sure I like him, and I don’t really want to connect with him on Facebook. But I see this guy about once every couple of months, out drinking, and I feel obliged to accept his request due to the social awkwardness that is inevitible otherwise next time we meet.”
Tags: Facebook, Social Obligation
