The inffuence of self-presentation in WeChat friends circle on the friendship quality of freshmen: The mediating role of online positive feedback
Hong Chen
Shenzhen Polytechnic University
Hongbin Zhang
Shenzhen Polytechnic University
Jingkang Pang
Shenzhen Polytechnic University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/pmcs.v8i1.13421
Keywords: WeChat moments; self-presentation; university freshmen; friendship quality; online positive feedback
Abstract
Objective: To examine the impact of self-presentation on WeChat Moments on friendship quality among first-year university students, and to explore the mediating role of online positive feedback. Method: A stratified random sample of 843 freshmen from a university in Shenzhen was selected. Data were collected using the College Friendship Quality Questionnaire, the Social Network Self-Presentation Strategies Scale, and a Positive Feedback Scale. Analyses—Including descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and mediation modeling—Were conducted with SPSS 29.0 and JASP. Results: Except for negative self-presentation, positive self-presentation, authentic self-presentation, and online positive feedback each showed significant positive correlations with friendship quality. Self-presentation exerted a significant partial mediation effect on friendship quality through online positive feedback, with a mediation effect size of 0.55. Conclusion: Self-presentation on WeChat Moments influences friendship quality among university freshmen, with online positive feedback serving as a crucial mediating mechanism. These findings offer practical guidance for helping freshmen leverage social media to enhance friendship quality and provide empirical evidence for understanding how online social interaction affects psychological and social adaptation in college students.
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