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Does using short video apps impacts life satisfaction: a perspective from psycho-social mechanism

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Abstract

Despite the growing global popularity of short video apps and their significant role in daily life, research on the relationship between using these apps and subjective well-being, particularly through psycho-social mechanisms, is limited. This study leverages a comprehensive dataset (n = 16765) from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to examine the impact of using short video apps (USVA) on life satisfaction (LFS) and its underlying psycho-social mechanisms. We find that USVA has a significant negative effect on LFS, a finding that holds even after addressing concerns of endogeneity. Our analysis further reveals that this negative effect is primarily driven by upward social comparison tendencies, which are intensified by the expansion of reference groups. Specifically, negative perceptions of social quality (NPSQ) and depressive tendencies (DET) are identified as the psycho-social mechanisms of the USVA’s effect on LFS. Additionally, we investigate the variability of this effect across different demographics, including gender, rural–urban, regional, and income disparities. The results provide valuable insights for policymakers.

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Data availability

The CFPS data set used in this manuscript can be downloaded from the following website, http://www.isss.pku.edu.cn/cfps/.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the funding support from President's Youth Fund of Institute of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant no. E0X3751Q01). We are grateful for the data provided by the ISSS of Peking University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Academy of Education Administration, Beijing, China

    Xiaofan Zuo

  2. College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

    Rui Wang

  3. Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zhisheng Hong

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  1. Xiaofan Zuo
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Zuo, X., Wang, R. & Hong, Z. Does using short video apps impacts life satisfaction: a perspective from psycho-social mechanism. Curr Psychol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05896-8

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