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How Does Digital Connection Shape Cultural Adaptation? The Impact of Social Media Use on the Cross-Cultural Adaptation of International Students in China

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Title: How Does Digital Connection Shape Cultural Adaptation? The Impact of Social Media Use on the Cross-Cultural Adaptation of International Students in China
Language: English
Authors: Yang Xin (ORCID 0009-0009-2335-1819), Deng Shusheng (ORCID 0009-0001-1310-1084), Hu Weina (ORCID 0009-0007-9582-9071), Deng Yan (ORCID 0009-0004-0697-484X)
Source: Journal of International Students. 2025 15(9):1-26.
Availability: Journal of International Students. 4005 Spurgeon Drive #6, Monroe, LA 71203. Tel: 318-600-5743; Fax: 318-342-3131; e-mail: jis@ojed.org; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jis/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Social Media, Acculturation, Foreign Students, College Students, Foreign Countries, Student Behavior, Interaction, Social Integration, Extracurricular Activities, Student Participation
Geographic Terms: China
ISSN: 2162-3104
2166-3750
Abstract: This study proposes and validates a sequential digital-physical-psychological (DPP) pathway model to explain how social media use facilitates international students' cross-cultural adaptation through behavioral and psychological mediation. Building on media system dependency theory and social learning theory, the model posits that digital engagement (e.g., WeChat interactions) initiates a cascading process: it first reduces barriers to extracurricular activity participation, which subsequently enhances the sense of multidimensional social integration (psychological identification, social interaction, and cultural adaptation). Data from 713 international students at Chinese universities, analyzed via structural equation modeling, confirmed significant direct ([beta] = 0.27, p < 0.001) and chain-mediated effects ([beta] = 0.04, p < 0.001), demonstrating that adaptation progresses sequentially from the digital domain to the physical domain to the psychological domain. The findings challenge parallel-process frameworks such as Ward's ABC model, instead emphasizing the temporal dynamics of digital-era acculturation. By integrating digital pathways into adaptation theory, this study advances a structured framework for understanding technology-mediated intercultural transitions. These findings address critical gaps in acculturation research by integrating digital pathways and temporal dynamics, offering evidence-based strategies for universities to design integrated digital-physical support systems.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1484201
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
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  Data: How Does Digital Connection Shape Cultural Adaptation? The Impact of Social Media Use on the Cross-Cultural Adaptation of International Students in China
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Yang+Xin%22&quot;&gt;Yang Xin&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2335-1819&quot;&gt;0009-0009-2335-1819&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Deng+Shusheng%22&quot;&gt;Deng Shusheng&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1310-1084&quot;&gt;0009-0001-1310-1084&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Hu+Weina%22&quot;&gt;Hu Weina&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9582-9071&quot;&gt;0009-0007-9582-9071&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Deng+Yan%22&quot;&gt;Deng Yan&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0697-484X&quot;&gt;0009-0004-0697-484X&lt;/externalLink&gt;)
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  Data: Journal of International Students. 4005 Spurgeon Drive #6, Monroe, LA 71203. Tel: 318-600-5743; Fax: 318-342-3131; e-mail: jis@ojed.org; Web site: https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jis/index
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Social+Media%22&quot;&gt;Social Media&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Acculturation%22&quot;&gt;Acculturation&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Foreign+Students%22&quot;&gt;Foreign Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22College+Students%22&quot;&gt;College Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Foreign+Countries%22&quot;&gt;Foreign Countries&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Student+Behavior%22&quot;&gt;Student Behavior&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Interaction%22&quot;&gt;Interaction&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Social+Integration%22&quot;&gt;Social Integration&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Extracurricular+Activities%22&quot;&gt;Extracurricular Activities&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Student+Participation%22&quot;&gt;Student Participation&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22China%22&quot;&gt;China&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study proposes and validates a sequential digital-physical-psychological (DPP) pathway model to explain how social media use facilitates international students&#39; cross-cultural adaptation through behavioral and psychological mediation. Building on media system dependency theory and social learning theory, the model posits that digital engagement (e.g., WeChat interactions) initiates a cascading process: it first reduces barriers to extracurricular activity participation, which subsequently enhances the sense of multidimensional social integration (psychological identification, social interaction, and cultural adaptation). Data from 713 international students at Chinese universities, analyzed via structural equation modeling, confirmed significant direct ([beta] = 0.27, p &lt; 0.001) and chain-mediated effects ([beta] = 0.04, p &lt; 0.001), demonstrating that adaptation progresses sequentially from the digital domain to the physical domain to the psychological domain. The findings challenge parallel-process frameworks such as Ward&#39;s ABC model, instead emphasizing the temporal dynamics of digital-era acculturation. By integrating digital pathways into adaptation theory, this study advances a structured framework for understanding technology-mediated intercultural transitions. These findings address critical gaps in acculturation research by integrating digital pathways and temporal dynamics, offering evidence-based strategies for universities to design integrated digital-physical support systems.
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1484201
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1484201
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Social Media
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Acculturation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Integration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Extracurricular Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Participation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: How Does Digital Connection Shape Cultural Adaptation? The Impact of Social Media Use on the Cross-Cultural Adaptation of International Students in China
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          Name:
            NameFull: Yang Xin
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            NameFull: Deng Shusheng
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            NameFull: Hu Weina
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            NameFull: Deng Yan
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              Y: 2025
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