Time Banking and Social Capital Creation: a Transaction Data Analysis

Abstract

This article uses transaction data from three time banks located in Barcelona to analyze their potential to generate bonding and bridging social capital for their members. Regarding bonding social capital, the findings are in line with the related literature in terms of the average number of trading partners and the ego-network density. However, reciprocity is a more frequent form of behavior in our data than in other time banks from other countries. Concerning bridging social capital and considering different age groups, the results show slight evidence of homophilic behavior, although intergenerational transactions are also present, being more frequent between more similar age groups. Finally, we explore the influence of age on the time it takes for members to engage in transactions, which could somehow be related to their potential motivations behind joining a time bank.