Affective Trust and Social Media Literacy as Predictors of News Credibility Perception among University Students in China
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In the digital era, social media has become a powerful tool in higher education, influencing students' engagement with news and their ability to assess its credibility. This study aims to (1) identify key components of social media literacy, affective trust, and news credibility perception; (2) examine the predictive relationships among these variables; and (3) analyze the mediating role of affective trust between social media literacy and news perception. A mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase involved 375 international university students in China, using a structured questionnaire analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The qualitative phase used semi-structured interviews with 20 students, analyzed thematically via NVivo. Findings revealed that social media literacy significantly predicted affective trust (β = 0.61, p < .001), and both variables had significant positive effects on perceived news credibility (β = 0.65 and β = 0.59, respectively; p < .001). Affective trust partially mediated the relationship between social media literacy and news credibility (indirect effect = 0.043, 95% CI [.034, .040]). The model showed good fit indices (χ²/df = 2.582, TLI = 0.926). Demographic variables—gender (r = .67**), age (r = .67**), and education level (r = .57**)—were positively correlated with trust and news perception. Qualitative findings further emphasized emotional elements such as empathy, consistency, and platform trustworthiness as crucial factors influencing how students assess online news. These results underscore the importance of integrating emotional and cognitive dimensions into media literacy education. Strengthening affective trust and digital competence may enhance students’ critical engagement with online information in academic settings.
Authors: Hu, Kai, Klaysung, Somsak
Institution: Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
Language: Thai
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7219245139