{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T06:38:14Z","timestamp":1774334294682,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":64,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]],"date-time":"2022-01-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1643241600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["AJIM"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,29]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>Building upon social capital theoretical foundation, the principal purpose of present research is to construct a conceptual research model and uncover the intricate relationships between WeChat usage, social capital and civic participation behaviors among young people.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>A large cross-sectional valid data from 1,238 young people in mainland China were gathered to examine the hypothesized research model. Descriptive analyses, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were sequentially undertaken to determine dynamic interrelationships among main constructs.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The empirical findings demonstrate that WeChat usage positively impacts young people's social interaction ties, the guanxi network and shared goals. Moreover, social interaction ties and shared goals are positively associated with their online civic engagement. Furthermore, the guanxi network is positively associated with both online and offline civic engagement.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Theoretically, this research is the first to explicitly explore the influence mechanism of WeChat use intensity on different dimensions of individual-level social capital and civic engagement. Practically, these obtained results can be beneficial to the comprehending of whether and how WeChat is a resource for social capital and civic involvement.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>Despite mobile social media, especially WeChat, has achieved immense popularity in contemporary mainland China, the potential influence of this emerging technology use on individuals' differential dimensions of social capital and civic engagement has not been systematically investigated. The study may not only offer fresh insight into innovative features of WeChat but also contribute to broader controversies regarding the impact of mobile-mediated communication on individuals' daily civic lives.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/ajim-07-2021-0204","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]],"date-time":"2022-01-27T00:43:50Z","timestamp":1643244230000},"page":"645-663","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Can WeChat really foster young people's civic engagement? Unraveling an underlying mechanism from the social capital theoretical perspective"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"75","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6490-9035","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hua","family":"Pang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]},"reference":[{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-01-2019-0002","article-title":"What drives users' participation in online social Q&A communities? An empirical study based on social cognitive theory","volume":"71","year":"2019","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref002","first-page":"111","article-title":"Young people, digital media, and engagement: a meta-analysis of research","volume":"38","year":"2018","journal-title":"Social Science Computer Review"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref003","first-page":"81","article-title":"The forms of capital","volume":"1","year":"1986","journal-title":"Cultural Theory: An Anthology"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-03-2018-0067","article-title":"Politicians' use of Facebook during elections: use of emotionally-based discourse, personalization, social media engagement and vividness","volume":"70","year":"2018","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.21932","article-title":"Combat exposure and suicide risk in two samples of military personnel","volume":"69","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Psychology"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444813516836","article-title":"Mobile phones and the good life: examining the relationships among mobile use, social capital and subjective well-being","volume":"17","year":"2015","journal-title":"New Media and Society"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.im.2010.11.001","article-title":"Social capital and individual motivations on knowledge sharing: participant involvement as a moderator","volume":"48","year":"2011","journal-title":"Information and Management"},{"issue":"9","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"720","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929X.2016.1141321","article-title":"Understanding the determinants of users' subjective well-being in social networking sites: an integration of social capital theory and social presence theory","volume":"35","year":"2016","journal-title":"Behaviour and Information Technology"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2013.857425","article-title":"Taking stock, moving forward: the internet, social networks and civic engagement in Chinese societies","volume":"17","year":"2014","journal-title":"Information, Communication and Society"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2016.09.013","article-title":"Can online social networks foster young adults' civic engagement?","volume":"34","year":"2017","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1080\/17513057.2016.1235222","article-title":"WeChat use among Chinese college students: exploring gratifications and political engagement in China","volume":"10","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of International and Intercultural Communication"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"958","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2017.06.011","article-title":"The contribution of mobile social media to social capital and psychological well-being: examining the role of communicative use, friending and self-disclosure","volume":"75","year":"2017","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"issue":"7","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1096","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444814521362","article-title":"Social network service use on mobile devices: an examination of gratifications, civic attitudes and civic engagement in China","volume":"17","year":"2015","journal-title":"New Media and Society"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1872","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dss.2006.04.001","article-title":"Understanding knowledge sharing in virtual communities: an integration of social capital and social cognitive theories","volume":"42","year":"2006","journal-title":"Decision Support Systems"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2016.1154586","article-title":"A dialectic perspective on the interactive relationship between social media and civic participation: the moderating role of social capital","volume":"20","year":"2017","journal-title":"Information, Communication and Society"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"903","DOI":"10.1177\/0002764215580585","article-title":"Social networks in East and Southeast Asia I: national characteristics, institutions, network capital, and guanxi","volume":"59","year":"2015","journal-title":"American Behavioral Scientist"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref017","volume-title":"The 43st Statistical Report on Internet Development in China","author":"CNNIC.","year":"2019"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1080\/10584609.2016.1227000","article-title":"Social media social capital, offline social capital, and citizenship: exploring asymmetrical social capital effects","volume":"34","year":"2017","journal-title":"Political Communication"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref019","first-page":"1","article-title":"Civic engagement scale: a validation study","volume":"3","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sage Open"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1143","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x","article-title":"The benefits of Facebook \u201cfriends:\u201d Social capital and college students' use of online social network sites","volume":"12","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1095","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444819873110","article-title":"Civic engagement, social capital, and ideological extremity: exploring online political engagement and political expression on Facebook","volume":"22","year":"2020","journal-title":"New Media and Society"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref022","first-page":"191","article-title":"The impact of social capital and social interaction on customers' purchase intention, considering knowledge sharing in social commerce context","volume":"5","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Innovation and Knowledge"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"612","DOI":"10.1111\/jcom.12103","article-title":"Social media, political expression, and political participation: panel analysis of lagged and concurrent relationships","volume":"64","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Communication"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"368","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2016.11.034","article-title":"Does negative campaign advertising stimulate uncivil communication on social media? Measuring audience response using big data","volume":"68","year":"2017","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref025","first-page":"31","article-title":"Measurement bias in multilevel data","volume":"21","year":"2014","journal-title":"Structural Equation\u00a0Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref026","first-page":"147","article-title":"Social media and democracy: fostering political deliberation and participation","volume":"85","year":"2020","journal-title":"Western Journal of Communication"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"470","DOI":"10.1080\/10584609.2018.1426662","article-title":"The political significance of social media activity and social networks","volume":"35","year":"2018","journal-title":"Political Communication"},{"issue":"51","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref028","first-page":"1","article-title":"Social media usage and firm performance: the\u00a0mediating role of social capital","volume":"7","year":"2017","journal-title":"Social Network Analysis and Mining"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref029","first-page":"2344","article-title":"Discussion network heterogeneity matters: examining a moderated mediation model of social media use and civic engagement","volume":"9","year":"2015","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2015.08.008","article-title":"Social media and online political participation: the mediating role of exposure to cross-cutting and like-minded perspectives","volume":"33","year":"2016","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref031","first-page":"68","article-title":"Internet users are on the rise; but public affairs interest isn't","volume":"38","year":"2000","journal-title":"Columbia Journalism Review"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref032","first-page":"903","article-title":"Unraveling the effects of active and passive forms of political Internet use: does it affect citizens' political involvement?","volume":"16","year":"2013","journal-title":"New Media and Society"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2016.06.005","article-title":"Effects of branded e-stickers on purchase intentions: the perspective of social capital theory","volume":"34","year":"2017","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2013.871571","article-title":"The networked young citizen: social media, political participation and civic engagement","volume":"17","year":"2014","journal-title":"Information, Communication and Society"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2013.04.002","article-title":"The influence of online forum and SNS use on online political discussion in China: assessing \u201cspirals of trust\u201d","volume":"30","year":"2013","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.2307\/259373","article-title":"Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage","volume":"23","year":"1998","journal-title":"Academy of Management Review"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.1177\/00027640121957277","article-title":"Sociability, interpersonal relations, and the Internet: reconciling conflicting findings","volume":"45","year":"2001","journal-title":"American Behavioral Scientist"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1080\/13602381.2020.1737391","article-title":"Whither guanxi and social networks in China? A review of theory and practice","volume":"26","year":"2020","journal-title":"Asia Pacific Business Review"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"476","DOI":"10.1177\/0899764009354647","article-title":"Social networks, recruitment, and volunteering: are social capital effects conditional on recruitment?","volume":"40","year":"2011","journal-title":"Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"663","DOI":"10.1108\/OIR-04-2017-0136","article-title":"Can microblogs motivate involvement in civic and political life? Examining uses, gratifications and social outcomes among Chinese youth","volume":"42","year":"2018","journal-title":"Online Information Review"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2147","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2018.07.015","article-title":"How does time spent on WeChat bolster subjective well-being through social integration and social capital?","volume":"35","year":"2018","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"issue":"8","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0202244","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0202244","article-title":"Is mobile app a new political discussion platform? An empirical study of the effect of WeChat use on college students' political discussion and political efficacy","volume":"13","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-08-2019-0202","article-title":"Examining associations between university students' mobile social media use, online self-presentation, social support and sense of belonging","volume":"72","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101561","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tele.2020.101561","article-title":"Identifying associations between mobile social media users' perceived values, attitude, satisfaction, and eWOM engagement: the moderating role of affective factors","volume":"59","year":"2021","journal-title":"Telematics and Informatics"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2016.12.021","article-title":"The tweet goes on: interconnection of Twitter opinion leadership, network size, and civic engagement","volume":"69","year":"2017","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref046","first-page":"1752","article-title":"Can online communities be social capital? The effect of online communities on individuals\u2019 political engagement","volume":"40","year":"2019","journal-title":"Current Psychology"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref047","first-page":"41","article-title":"Social capital: measurement and consequences","volume":"2","year":"2001","journal-title":"Canadian Journal of Policy Research"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2018.10.002","article-title":"Building Guanxi network in the mobile social platform: a social capital perspective","volume":"44","year":"2019","journal-title":"International Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref049","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"306","DOI":"10.1080\/08911762.2019.1620902","article-title":"Mobile social commerce: current state and future directions","volume":"32","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Global Marketing"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref050","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"875","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1083-6101.2009.01474.x","article-title":"Is there social capital in a social network site? Facebook use and college students' life satisfaction, trust, and participation","volume":"14","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref051","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1169","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1083-6101.2007.00368.x","article-title":"Online communication and adolescent well-being: testing the stimulation versus the displacement hypothesis","volume":"12","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929X.2014.934290","article-title":"Understanding civic engagement behaviour on Facebook from a social capital theory perspective","volume":"34","year":"2015","journal-title":"Behaviour and Information Technology"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref053","first-page":"3729","article-title":"Examining effects of informational use of social media platforms and social capital on civic engagement regarding genetically modified foods in China","volume":"12","year":"2018","journal-title":"International Journal of Communication"},{"issue":"10","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1089\/cyber.2016.0154","article-title":"Does the use of WeChat lead to subjective well-being? The effect of use intensity and motivations","volume":"19","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref055","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2013.833276","article-title":"Expanding civic engagement in China: super Girl and entertainment-based online community","volume":"17","year":"2014","journal-title":"Information, Communication and Society"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1177\/0733464808315292","article-title":"Civic engagement among older Chinese Internet users","volume":"27","year":"2008","journal-title":"Journal of Applied Gerontology"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref057","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1080\/17544750.2019.1618354","article-title":"Political information use on WeChat and political discussion in China: toward a networked political discussion model","volume":"13","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chinese Journal of Communication"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-07-2020-0201","article-title":"Social media for government information dissemination: content, characteristics and civic engagement","volume":"73","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref059","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indmarman.2017.07.011","article-title":"Guanxi GRX (ganqing, renqing, xinren) and conflict management in Sino-US business relationships","volume":"66","year":"2017","journal-title":"Industrial Marketing Management"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref060","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101771","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pubrev.2019.04.005","article-title":"How social ties contribute to collective actions on social media: a social capital approach","volume":"45","year":"2019","journal-title":"Public Relations Review"},{"key":"key2023062902062091100_ref061","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2016.11.005","article-title":"The impact of social support, unit cohesion, and trait resilience on PTSD in treatment-seeking military personnel with PTSD: the role of posttraumatic cognitions","volume":"86","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Psychiatric Research"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref062","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-08-2019-0213","article-title":"Understanding extended information seeking: the perspectives of psychological empowerment and digital libraries attachment","volume":"72","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref063","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"574","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijinfomgt.2012.02.006","article-title":"Cultivating the sense of belonging and motivating user participation in virtual communities: a social capital perspective","volume":"32","year":"2012","journal-title":"International Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"2014","key":"key2023062902062091100_ref064","first-page":"263","article-title":"Civic engagement among educated Chinese youth: the role of SNS (Social Networking Services), bonding and bridging social capital","volume":"75","year":"2014","journal-title":"Computers and Education"}],"container-title":["Aslib Journal of Information Management"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/AJIM-07-2021-0204\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/AJIM-07-2021-0204\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:01:00Z","timestamp":1753398060000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/ajim\/article\/75\/4\/645-663\/60784"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]},"references-count":64,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,29]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/AJIM-07-2021-0204"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/ajim-07-2021-0204","relation":{},"ISSN":["2050-3806"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2050-3806","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,27]]}}}