The Impact of Social Media Use on Online Collective Action During China’s COVID-19 Pandemic Mitigation: A Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA) Perspective

Authors

  • Xin Zhao Bournemouth University
  • Mengfei Guan University of Arkansas
  • Xinya Liang University of Arkansas

Keywords:

social identity model of collective action, China, COVID-19 pandemic, social media

Abstract

The role of social media in fostering collective action in China is under constant debate, and the mechanism underlying the effects of social media use on collective action has not garnered sufficient scholarly attention. This study aims to investigate the (in)direct effects of attention to social media—administered by the governmental (gov) and nongovernmental sectors (nongov), respectively—for information about COVID-19 mitigation in China on intention to participate in online collective action (IPOCA). Findings from a survey suggest that attention to both social media (gov) and social media (nongov) directly predicted IPOCA. The indirect effect of attention to social media (gov) on IPOCA was significantly mediated by social identification. This study evidences the impact of social media on collective action in China and theoretically underpins its mechanisms through the social identity model of collective action.

Author Biographies

Xin Zhao, Bournemouth University

Dr Xin Zhao is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. Her research interests cover areas of political communication, media representations, newsroom practices, and digital citizenship. She has published in journals including Journalism, Asian Journal of Communication,Media and Communication, and Communication Teacher, etc.

Mengfei Guan, University of Arkansas

Dr Mengfei Guan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Arkansas. Her research interests involve health communication, message framing, risk perception, and emotional appeals. Her research has been published in major communication journals including Journal of Health Communication, Health Communication, and Communication Studies, etc.

Xinya Liang, University of Arkansas

Dr Xinya Liang is an Assistant Professor of Educational Statistics and Research Methods at the University of Arkansas. Her research lies in structural equation modeling, Bayesian inferences, and longitudinal data analysis in social science studies. She has published in top-notch methodological journals including Structural Equations Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, Educational and Psychological Measurement, etc.

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Published

2022-01-01

Issue

Vol. 16 (2022)

Section

Articles

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