Network Structure Matters: Unpacking Associations Among Informational WeChat Use, Network Heterogeneity, Network Capital, and Civic Involvement

Abstract

Although mobile social networking sites have successfully penetrated into individual’s various aspects of everyday lives, few empirical studies have investigated important antecedents of civic involvement in the WeChat context from a network capital perspective. The principal aims of the research are to systematically explore the underlying associations between mobile social media use, network heterogeneity, network capital, and civic participation among young people. The data was collected in an online survey of 1,208 young people in mainland China. Structural equation modeling analysis was carried out to examine the corresponding hypotheses. Findings revealed that informational WeChat use could positively impact young people’s network heterogeneity, which subsequently contributes to increased degrees of civic involvement. Additionally, the results demonstrated that network heterogeneity and network capital on WeChat are positively associated with civic involvement. Furthermore, network heterogeneity and network capital could mediate the association between WeChat use for information and individual’s civic activities. These obtained outcomes underlined the vital role of mobile social media communication in facilitating democratic engagement of young citizens in contemporary mobile media-saturated society.