Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The rapid proliferation of short-video platforms in China has fundamentally altered the media consumption habits of adolescents and young adults. Alongside this digital transformation, there has been a noticeable shift in the sexual attitudes of Chinese youth, moving gradually from traditional conservative paradigms toward more permissive and egalitarian perspectives. This paper explores the complex mechanisms linking short-video consumption to changing sexual attitudes, focusing specifically on the mediating role of perceived peer norms. Drawing on cultivation theory and social norms theory, we propose that the algorithmic curation of short-video content creates digital echo chambers that skew users perceptions of what their peers believe and practice. Through a comprehensive cross-sectional survey of young adults across multiple urban tiers in China, this study employs structural equation modeling to untangle the direct and indirect pathways of media influence. The findings indicate that while short-video use has a modest direct effect on sexual permissiveness, its primary impact operates indirectly through the alteration of descriptive and injunctive peer norms. By repeatedly exposing users to specific subcultural behaviors and viewpoints, platforms amplify the perceived prevalence of these attitudes among the general peer group. This research provides critical insights into the sociocultural impacts of algorithmic media in a rapidly modernizing society and highlights the necessity for nuanced, culturally aware digital literacy programs.
Author: Jaein Lim
Institution: UNSW Sydney
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220301465