The impact of online social interaction on urban community cohesion and group differences: evidence from China.

BACKGROUND

With the advent of the digital age, online social interaction has become an important form of interpersonal communication. This increasing popularity of online interaction has led to a growing debate about its impact on community cohesion. However, the effects and mechanisms by which online social interaction affects community cohesion are not well understood. This study aims to investigate the correlations between online social interaction and community cohesion in the Chinese context.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study examines urban community residents (n = 1037) across China's eastern, central, and western regions, with proportional sampling to ensure geographic representation. Data were collected via random questionnaires. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we empirically assess (1) the impact of online social interaction on community cohesion, (2) the underlying mechanisms, and (3) heterogeneity effects across demographic and regional subgroups.

RESULTS

The direct influence of online social interaction on community cohesion was significantly positive (β = 0.694, P = 0.000), and the indirect effect of social interaction on community cohesion through offline social interaction was also significantly positive(β = 0.243, P = 0.000). The effects of online social interaction on community cohesion show significant heterogeneity across demographic groups and geographic regions, being more pronounced among middle-aged residents (β = 0.901, P = 0.000), male residents (β = 0.727, P = 0.000), and married residents (β = 0.779, P = 0.000) relative to their respective counterparts. The effect magnitude in the eastern region (β = 0.784, P = 0.000) substantially exceeds that in both central and western regions.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicate that online social interaction is an important factor affecting the formation of urban residents' community cohesion, and offline social interaction plays a mediating role. In addition, The association between online social interaction and community cohesion demonstrates significant heterogeneity across demographic and regional subgroups.