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Academic Adaptation and Pursuit of the Symbolic Function of Mobile Phones among Adolescents: Moderating Role of Self-Identity and Mediating Role of Academic Performance

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Abstract

Prior studies have demonstrated that school environment is an important factor in adolescents’ pursuit of the symbolic function of mobile phones. However, few studies have investigated the individual differences in the relation between school environment and this pursuit. The current study sampled 2,064 Chinese adolescents to analyze the moderating role of self-identity in the relation between academic adaptation and pursuit of the symbolic function of mobile phones as well as the mediating effect of academic performance. Results revealed that, compared with adolescents with low self-identity, adolescents with high self-identity showed a stronger relation between academic adaptation and pursuit of the symbolic function of mobile phones, partially mediated by academic performance. The present study indicated that good school environment and high self-identity were protective factors of adolescents’ disvalued media attitude. Limitations and implications were discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The present research was supported by The Key Research Institute in Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education (Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University) (14JJD190005), the Key Project of Social Science Fund of Beijing, China (15SHA005), the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2018M631846), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2412018QD032). No financial interest and conflict in the present research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China

    Xiaochun Xie & Chao Bi

  2. Department of Psychology & The Center of Internet + Social Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China

    Xingchao Wang, Pengcheng Wang, Yuhui Wang, Li Lei, Jinjin Guo & Jiayi Wang

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  1. Xiaochun Xie
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  2. Xingchao Wang
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  3. Pengcheng Wang
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  4. Yuhui Wang
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  5. Li Lei
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  6. Jinjin Guo
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  7. Jiayi Wang
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  8. Chao Bi
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Correspondence to Li Lei.

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Xie, X., Wang, X., Wang, P. et al. Academic Adaptation and Pursuit of the Symbolic Function of Mobile Phones among Adolescents: Moderating Role of Self-Identity and Mediating Role of Academic Performance. Child Ind Res 12, 861–872 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9560-5

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