This study examines the direct and interactive effects of Facebook usage, motivations, and interaction types on three dimensions of social capital: life satisfaction, interpersonal trust and civic engagement. The author uses data from Taiwan Communication Survey (TCS)’s 2018 national survey to test five hypotheses. Results of the analysis revealed that Facebook’s impact on social capital was contingent upon the specific usage and motivations of users. Using Facebook for pure entertainment was found to be negatively related to interpersonal trust and life satisfaction, while using Facebook to satisfy needs of social connection and relationship maintenance was found to be positively related to civic engagement. This study also found that the association between Facebook use and social capital variables were moderated by motivations.
