The Impact of Social Media Use on the Moral Cognition Level of Chinese University Students : The Mediating Role of Social Media Dependence and Emotional Regulation Ability

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the widespread adoption of social media, its impact on the psychology, behavior, and moral cognition levels of university students has become increasingly evident. University students are at a crucial stage of moral cognition and personality development, making them highly susceptible to the diverse information disseminated through social media. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of social media use on the moral cognition levels of Chinese university students, focusing on the mediating roles of social media dependence and emotional regulation ability. This research aimed to identify both the direct and indirect pathways through which social media usage affects moral cognition levels. The study surveyed 600 college students in the Changchun area of China, with 526 valid questionnaires forming the research sample. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26, employing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The results of the study are as follows:　First，the use of social media for entertainment, interaction, and participation negatively impacts the moral cognition levels of university students.　Second， social media dependence plays a significant mediating role between social media usage and moral cognition levels.　 Third，emotional regulation ability also serves as an important mediator between social media usage and moral cognition levels. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the complex effects of social media usage on university students' moral cognition levels, contributing to the expansion of theoretical frameworks. Notably, it empirically demonstrates that social media not only affects individuals' psychological and emotional domains but also profoundly influences moral thinking and judgment. These findings help redefine the internal and external environments necessary for university students to achieve moral maturity in the digital age. Additionally, the study offers practical references for university-level moral education and the regulation of social media content. Specifically, it highlights the importance of conscious control and educational interventions regarding social media usage at the university level. Furthermore, it emphasizes the critical role of emotional regulation ability in the development of moral cognition, suggesting the need for systematic programs and policy support to train and enhance emotional regulation skills among university students. Keywords: Chinese university students, Social Media Use, Moral Cognition Level, Social Media Dependence, Emotional Regulation Ability

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract iii
• Ⅰ. Introduction 1
• 1. Research Necessity and Purpose 1
• 2. Research Questions 7
• 3. Definition of Terms 7
• 1) Social Media 7
• 2) Social Media Use 8
• 3) Moral Cognition Level 8
• 4) Social Media Dependence 9
• 5) Emotional Regulation Ability 9
• Ⅱ. Theoretical Background 11
• 1. Social Media 11
• 2. Social Media Use 15
• 1) Concepts of Social Media Use 15
• 2) Dimensions of Social Media Use 18
• 3) Previous Studies of Social Media Use 22
• 3. Moral Cognition Level 26
• 1) Concepts of Moral Cognition Level 26
• 2) Dimensions of the Moral Cognition Level 30
• 3) Previous Studies of Moral Cognition Level 35
• 4. Social Media Dependence 39
• 1) Concepts of Social Media Dependence 39
• 2) Dimensions of Social Media Dependence 41
• 3) Previous Studies of Social Media Dependence 45
• 5. Emotional Regulation Ability 48
• 1) Concepts of Emotional Regulation Ability 48
• 2) Dimensions of Emotional Regulation Ability 49
• 3) Previous Studies of Emotional Regulation Ability 54
• Ⅲ. Research Methods 59
• 1. Research Design 59
• 1) Research Procedures 59
• 2) Research Model 61
• 3) Research Hypothesis 64
• 2. Research Participants 78
• 3. Research Tools 79
• 1) The Scale of Social Media Use 79
• 2) The Scale of Moral Cognition Level 81
• 3) The Scale of Social Media Dependence 82
• 4) The Scale of Emotional Regulation Ability 83
• 5) Exploratory Factor Analysis 85
• 4. Data Collection and Analysis Methods 91
• 1) Preliminry Research 91
• 2) Formal Research 93
• Ⅳ. Results 94
• viii
• 1. Descriptive Statistical Analysis 94
• 2. Confirmatory Factor Analysis 97
• 3. Association Analysis 99
• 4. Hypothesis Test 101
• 1) Relationships between Social Media Use and Moral Cognition
• 　Level 101
• 2) Relationships between Social Media Use and Social Media
• Dependence 104
• 3) Relationships between Social Media Dependence and Moral
• Cognition Level 106
• 4) Mediating Role of Social Media Dependence 108
• 5) Relationships between Social Media Use and Emotional
• Regulation Ability 111
• 6) Relationships between Emotional Regulation Ability and Moral
• 　 Cognition Level 114
• 7) Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Ability 116
• Ⅴ. Conclusion 120
• 1. Discussion and Conclusion 120
• 2. Research Limitations and Suggestions 126
• 1) Limitations 126
• 2) Suggestions 128
• References 131
• Appendix 152
• 국문초록 158