Nourishing social solidarity in exchanging gifts: a study on social exchange in Shanghai communities during COVID-19 lockdown

The two-month COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai in April 2022 severely disrupted daily life and supply chains, leading to shortages of essential goods. This created a context for widespread social exchange within communities, exemplified by initiatives like the "Cola for Everything" exchange. This study investigates the motivations behind these exchanges and their role in building social solidarity, defined as integrative bonds between individuals and their communities. While modern society often relies on anonymous market exchanges, the lockdown disrupted this system, fostering potential for the formation of norms and stronger community ties. The study focuses on the role of media, particularly WeChat groups, in facilitating both online information exchange and offline resource sharing, leading to a "rediscovery of the nearby." The research employs grounded theory to analyze interview data from 28 residents across various communities in Shanghai, offering insights into the mechanisms by which social media promotes offline exchanges and the development of social solidarity, particularly examining the interplay of economic conditions and cultural norms in shaping solidarity.

Existing literature highlights the role of social exchange in enhancing social solidarity. The study draws on social exchange theory, focusing on different exchange structures (negotiated, reciprocal, generalized, and productive) and their impact on solidarity’s functional, emotional, and communal aspects. The theoretical framework incorporates Lawler et al.’s affect theory, classifying exchange structures and considering the impact of resource variation (Schaefer, 2009). The study also examines the influence of cultural factors, particularly traditional Chinese cultural norms like "renqing" (moral obligation) and "mianzi" (dignity), which influence the willingness to participate in exchanges, even those with uncertain or unequal outcomes. The role of media in facilitating solidarity is explored, building upon research demonstrating its potential to promote prosocial behaviors and maintain social relationships despite the challenges of physical distancing.

The study used a mixed-methods approach combining participant observation and in-depth interviews. Twenty-eight participants were recruited using snowball sampling to ensure diversity across communities differing in size, location, and pandemic severity. The researchers controlled for potential biases related to the sample’s non-randomness by accounting for factors such as friendship size, family size, and WeChat group participation (reflecting media proficiency). The community size was not found to significantly affect exchange patterns. Although initially focusing on community size, the researchers shifted their focus to demographic variables, particularly gender and age, noting that women initiated more online exchanges and that elderly participation was often less visible in the online space. The sample consisted of 23 females and 5 males, aged 17-86. Data analysis employed structural grounded theory (Corbin and Strauss, 1990) and NVivo software. Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding were used to identify five major categories explaining motivations for social exchange: moral obligation, rules of reciprocity, material reward, sentiment reward, and micro social order. A theoretical saturation test was conducted. Exchange behaviors were categorized based on directness, scale, collaboration, and inseparability, examining both distribution rules and the characteristics of exchanged items.

The study found that reciprocal and generalized exchanges were more prevalent than negotiated exchanges in the communities studied. Reciprocal exchanges, often starting as unilateral "gifts," were characterized by delayed reciprocity and a lack of clear expectations of returned value. Generalized exchanges involved indirect exchanges through intermediaries like barter closets, with participants often unaware of specific reciprocation. Productive exchanges included collaborative efforts like group cooking and collective purchasing and distribution of goods. The study highlights a shift from money-mediated negotiated exchanges to reciprocal and generalized exchanges, accompanied by a reduction in perceived non-reciprocal risk and increased trust. Cultural norms, particularly moral obligations and rules of reciprocity rooted in traditional Chinese culture, were identified as major drivers of exchange initiation. These norms, reinforced by online visibility via WeChat groups, reduced perceptions of risk and fostered sustainability. Sentiments, amplified through media, played a crucial role in reinforcing the willingness to participate in these exchanges. The media facilitated not only the sharing of material goods but also the amplification of positive emotions, engendering a sense of communal solidarity and reducing anxieties associated with the lockdown. This eventually facilitated the emergence of a micro social order, governed by shared norms of reciprocity and collective responsibility, observable in the online space and influencing offline behaviour. The study observed a noticeable transition of exchange patterns from primitive forms such as negotiated and reciprocal exchanges to more intricate forms such as generalized and productive exchanges, facilitated by the mediation of social media. The online community fostered a stronger sense of 'nearby,' creating a more transparent social space and promoting deeper connections within the physical community.

The findings address the research question by demonstrating how cultural norms, facilitated by social media, fueled various forms of social exchange, ultimately leading to the development of social solidarity within Shanghai communities during the lockdown. The significance of the results lies in their demonstration of the unexpected capacity of traditional cultural norms to adapt to modern technological contexts, promoting prosocial behavior even in situations of significant risk and uncertainty. The study also challenges certain aspects of social exchange theory, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of the role of reciprocal and generalized exchange in fostering solidarity. The results highlight the importance of considering the interaction between cultural values and technological infrastructure in shaping social cohesion, with implications for both public health management and community development.

This study demonstrates the power of traditional cultural norms, amplified by social media, in fostering social solidarity during a public health crisis. The findings highlight the prevalence of reciprocal and generalized exchanges, driven by moral obligations and a sense of collective responsibility. The study’s contribution lies in its detailed analysis of the interplay between cultural norms, social media, and the evolution of social exchange structures, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of social solidarity in modern, technologically mediated communities. Future research should explore how differences in media usage and social network structures affect the formation of social solidarity and the sustainability of such community-based support systems beyond periods of crisis.

The study’s limitations include its reliance on a sample of primarily younger, media-proficient participants, potentially underrepresenting the experiences of elderly individuals. The snowball sampling method, while effective for reaching diverse communities, might have introduced bias in terms of pre-existing social networks. Future research should aim for a more representative sample, accounting for the potentially differing roles of various demographic groups in shaping the micro social order within the community. The study also acknowledges the need for further investigation into the long-term effects of these crisis-driven exchanges and the sustainability of the observed social solidarity beyond periods of emergency.