Zhang Xin, Tang Qingqing, Li Shuhui
Department of Communication, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 28;15(1):27475. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-12138-9.
Health-related WeChat Official Accounts are widely used in China. However, limited research has explored how cognitive processing and psychological beliefs influence user behavior on these platforms. Previous studies have rarely examined the cognitive and psychological mechanisms that underlie users' behavioral intention in this context. To address this gap, this study proposes a psychologically grounded dual-pathway model that integrates the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to explain how individual information processing and self-efficacy jointly shape user behavioral intention. Data were collected through an online survey (n = 434) conducted from April 11 to May 9, 2024. PLS-SEM was applied using SmartPLS 4.1. The results show that both central and peripheral processing routes significantly influence self-efficacy, which in turn mediates their effects on behavioral intention. Gender moderates the peripheral pathway, with female users more responsive to credibility cues. However, user experience did not have a significant moderating effect. This study extends the application of ELM and SCT in digital health communication by clarifying how different processing routes influence user behavior via self-efficacy. It offers practical insights for healthcare institutions, government health departments, and nonprofit organizations seeking to improve user engagement and satisfaction with WOAs.
与健康相关的微信公众号在中国被广泛使用。然而，仅有有限的研究探讨了认知加工和心理信念如何影响这些平台上的用户行为。以往的研究很少考察在这种背景下用户行为意图背后的认知和心理机制。为了填补这一空白，本研究提出了一个基于心理学的双路径模型，该模型整合了精细加工可能性模型（ELM）和社会认知理论（SCT），以解释个体信息加工和自我效能如何共同塑造用户的行为意图。数据通过2024年4月11日至5月9日进行的在线调查（n = 434）收集。使用SmartPLS 4.1应用偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）。结果表明，中央和边缘加工路径均显著影响自我效能，而自我效能又在它们对行为意图的影响中起中介作用。性别调节边缘路径，女性用户对可信度线索的反应更敏感。然而，用户体验并没有显著的调节作用。本研究通过阐明不同的加工路径如何通过自我效能影响用户行为，扩展了ELM和SCT在数字健康传播中的应用。它为寻求提高用户对微信公众号的参与度和满意度的医疗机构、政府卫生部门和非营利组织提供了实用的见解。
