The heterogeneous effects of perceptions of digital and intelligent technologies on multidimensional political identity among college students: a study of multiple parallel mediations from a stratified cluster perspective
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction The digital transformation of young people’s political socialization is a complex process fraught with tensions. Existing Western theories such as the theory of technological neutrality and the theory of algorithmic polarization—struggle to fully account for state-led digital ecosystems, while domestic Chinese research often treats political identity as a homogeneous concept. Based on this, this study aims to uncover the stratified and heterogeneous mechanisms through which perceptions of digital and intelligent technologies shape the multidimensional political identities of Chinese college students. Methods Drawing on survey data from 4,094 Chinese college students, this study expands the classic six-dimensional political identity framework into an eight-dimensional system (adding the emotional and institutional dimensions) and categorizes these dimensions into three clusters: the Emotional–Traditional Cluster, the Institutional–Performance Cluster, and the Party Identity Cluster. A bootstrap multiple parallel mediation model with bias correction using 5,000 repeated samples was employed to test five transmission pathways. Results The results reveal significant differences: perceptions of political participation and rights exert significant positive mediating effects, while perceptions of interests generally exhibit an inhibitory (masking) effect. The Institutional–Performance Cluster primarily exerts its influence through the political participation pathway (mean pathway effect β = 0.107); its total mediation effect ( β = 0.260) is approximately 2.4 times that of the Emotional Traditional Cluster ( β = 0.108); political communication exerts an appreciable effect only on the Institutional–Performance Cluster. Discussion The findings of this study qualify the claims of universality made by Western theories such as algorithmic polarization and technological neutrality. By constructing a causal chain of “digital-intellectual cognition—multiple mediation— stratified identity,” this study provides a non-Western empirical model for understanding the political socialization of youth in the algorithmic era.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Author: Qian Hou
Institution: Shandong University of Technology
Language: English
Topic: Social Media and Politics
Subfield: Communication
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223178754