Social Capital and Emotional Labor: The Dual Dynamics Mechanism of “Goods” Sharing in Online Communities Among Young Women

Abstract

This study, grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of social capital and Hochschild’s theory of emotional labor, explores the dual dynamics mechanism driving young women to continuously share “good finds” in online communities, using the Xiaohongshu platform as a case study. Through in-depth interviews and textual analysis, the research reveals two key findings: First, the accumulation of social capital (including bridging and bonding social capital) and emotional labor (such as emotional investment and labor monetization) are the core factors motivating young women to persistently share. Second, by sharing “good finds”, they not only expand their social networks and enhance their sense of social recognition but also maintain a sense of community belonging through emotional investment and achieve the reproduction of personal value. This paper provides an in-depth exploration of the behavioral motivations and underlying psychological mechanisms of young women in online communities. The study offers a dual “structure-agency” perspective for understanding the digital practices of young women in the digital era and provides insights for optimizing platform governance mechanisms.