Social Media Intensity and Chinese Female Undergraduates’ Attitudes Toward Marriage

The Roles of Benevolent Sexism and the Need to Belong

Bibliographic Data

ID19543740
AuthorsDiya Yang (Yangzhou Vocational University), Z Lyu (0000-0002-1835-2050, Yangzhou Vocational University), Qingqing Xie (0000-0003-0505-6102, Yangzhou Vocational University), Panpan Zheng (0000-0001-8106-4177, Yangzhou Vocational University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume38
Issue2
Pages409-423
Publication date2026-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Sexual Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1931-7611 • E-ISSN: 1931-762X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19317611.2025.2583154
PMID42205341
OpenAlexW4416242355
LanguageEN
References cited94

Objectives: In contemporary China's digital age, marked by declining marriage and fertility rates, it is crucial to explore the factors that shape individuals' attitudes toward marriage. Female undergraduates, who face significant tensions between traditional gender roles and the demands of the modern market economy, may play a key role in shaping future marriage and family patterns of Chinese society. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social media intensity and attitudes toward marriage among Chinese female undergraduates, with a focus on exploring the potential roles of benevolent sexism and the need to belong in this relationship, using ambivalent sexism theory, belongingness theory, and cultivation theory as frameworks. Methods: A total of 529 female undergraduates completed the questionnaires assessing their social media intensity, attitudes toward marriage, benevolent sexism, and the need to belong. Results: Results indicated a positive relationship between social media intensity and Chinese female undergraduates' traditional attitudes toward marriage. Moreover, this relationship was mediated by benevolent sexism, with greater social media intensity linked to higher endorsement of benevolent sexism and in turn associated with more traditional attitudes toward marriage. Notably, the relationship between social media intensity and benevolent sexism was moderated by the need to belong. For female undergraduates with a high need to belong, social media intensity was significantly positively associated with benevolent sexism, whereas no significant relationship was observed for those with a low need to belong. Conclusions: The findings underscore the roles of benevolent sexism and the need to belong in shaping the impact of social media intensity on female undergraduates' attitudes toward marriage. These results suggest the importance of promoting gender equality and fostering a sense of belonging to cultivate modern attitudes toward marriage in the digital age

Mass media · Social comparison theory · Social media · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Influence and Health

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