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A review of research on the impact of new media on adolescents' pro-social behavior

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DOI: 10.23977/mediacr.2025.060112 | Downloads: 24 | Views: 570

Author(s)

Liao Caizhi 1, Lao Siyuan 1, Luo Zihan 1

Affiliation(s)

1 Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China

Corresponding Author

Luo Zihan

ABSTRACT

New media has a significant impact on the social behavior of contemporary adolescents, including their prosocial behaviors. This study retrieved literature from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) published between 2015 and 2024, using the keywords "adolescents," "new media," and "pro-social behavior," resulting in a total of 53 Chinese-language articles. By analyzing the existing literature, the study explores the mechanisms through which new media both promotes and inhibits adolescents' prosocial behaviors. The findings indicate that new media positively shapes adolescents' sense of social responsibility and cooperation by providing opportunities for behavioral imitation, reinforcing social interaction and belonging, and disseminating prosocial information. However, its characteristics of pervasive entertainment and fragmentation may weaken adolescents' empathy and the authenticity of their actions, and even reduce prosocial tendencies by negatively affecting adolescents' interpersonal relationships and values. Based on these findings, this paper proposes strategies for promoting the development of prosocial behaviors among adolescents, focusing on educational interventions, the roles of families and schools, and the design of policies and platforms.

KEYWORDS

New media, adolescents, pro-social behavior

CITE THIS PAPER

Liao Caizhi, Lao Siyuan, Luo Zihan, A review of research on the impact of new media on adolescents' pro-social behavior. Media and Communication Research (2025) Vol. 6: 85-92. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mediacr.2025.060112.

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