Short-video applications use and self-concept clarity among adolescents: the mediating roles of flow and social media self-expansion
Open accessAbstract
Recently, the usage of short-video applications (apps) has become widespread and the potential influence of short-video apps use on individuals has attracted the attention of researchers. However, few studies have explored the influence of short-video apps use on adolescents' self-concept clarity. This study aimed to examine the relationship between short-video apps use and self-concept clarity among adolescents and whether this relationship is mediated by flow and social media self-expansion. A total of 721 Chinese adolescents completed questionnaires on intensity of short-video apps use, flow, social media self-expansion, self-concept clarity, and SNS use intensity. The results revealed that short-video apps use was negatively related to self-concept clarity among adolescents. Flow mediated the association between short-video apps use and self-concept clarity. Moreover, the relationship between short-video apps use and self-concept clarity was sequentially mediated by flow and social media self-expansion. These findings offer new insights into our understanding of adolescents' self-development in the context of digital media and provide implications for fostering healthier online experiences among adolescents.
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Music encountered through short-video platforms is fragmented, algorithmically curated, emotionally amplified, and tightly bound to visual stimulation, social trends, and platform-driven retention mechanisms.
“By contrast, the music encountered through short-video platforms is fragmented, algorithmically curated, emotionally amplified, and tightly bound to visual stimulation, social trends, and platform-driven retention mechanisms”
From Algorithmic short-video music consumption and academic related functions: a three-wave longitudinal study of university students (2026) · cites this paper as Wang and Wang, 2024
The music delivered through algorithmically curated short clips differs in important ways from traditional, self-selected music listening.
“the music delivered through algorithmically curated short clips differs in important ways from traditional, self-selected music listening”
From Algorithmic short-video music consumption and academic related functions: a three-wave longitudinal study of university students (2026) · cites this paper as Wang and Wang, 2024
Music psychology has traditionally treated music as a positive emotional or cognitive resource, yet far less is known about how music functions when embedded in algorithm-driven short-video environments.
“Second, music psychology has traditionally treated music as a positive emotional or cognitive resource, yet far less is known about how music functions when embedded in algorithm-driven short-video environments, where listening is rapid, fragmented, and tied to algorithmic recommendation”
From Algorithmic short-video music consumption and academic related functions: a three-wave longitudinal study of university students (2026) · cites this paper as Wang and Wang, 2024
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“High self-concept clarity is related to emotional well-being, high self-esteem, and high resilience, while low self-concept clarity is related to identity confusion and susceptibility to anxiety and depression (Yang et al., 2025; Wang & Wang, 2024).”
- Authors
- Wang, Y., & Wang, S.
- Affiliations
- Beijing University of Technology (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Wang, Yuhui
- ORCID
- Wang, Yuhui
- Venue
- Acta Psychologica
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2024-09
- Volume
- 249
- Pages
- 104469
- ISSN
- 0001-6918 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4401797730
- Semantic Scholar
- 821a8d32341ce32056fbdf0dcd67905566de3276
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5
- FWCI
- 7.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Acta Psychologica (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences (23CXW027)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Flow Experience in Various Fields
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Keywords
- short video platforms, self-concept clarity, adolescents, flow, social media use, self-development, digital media, mediation
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, China, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Social Media, Mobile Applications
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