Digital belonging and online participation : increasing sense of belonging and facilitating online engagement among Chinese and Chinese Americans
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[EMBARGOED UNTIL 12/01/2026] Chinese and Chinese Americans have faced heightened discrimination following the COVID-19 outbreak, contributing to diminished belonging in U.S. society. Digital technologies provide opportunities to connect locally and globally, potentially mitigating social isolation. This dissertation examines whether exposure to culturally valued content and Chinese-language in U.S. social media influences belonging, and how belonging affects emotional well-being and online civic engagement. Drawing on social identity theory and self-determination theory, the study also explores moderation by individuals' need to belong and differences by gender and native language. An online experiment (N = 242) used a 2 (cultural content: positive vs. negative) × 3 (language: Chinese, English, dual-language) + control design. Measures included belonging, well-being (happiness, self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness), and intentions for online participation. Results showed that short-term exposure had no direct effect on belonging, but belonging strongly predicted improved well-being and increased online participation, with anxiety partially mediating this relationship. Positive cultural cues encouraged constructive engagement, while negative or Chinese language cues prompted negative participation. Gender and language moderated some outcomes, with women showing higher participation intentions and bilingual contexts affecting well-being among native Chinese speakers. These findings highlight the behavioral influence of digital media on online engagement and the importance of cultural and language context in shaping experiences.
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Ph. D.