From media engagement to global impact: a serial moderated mediation model of cultural relatability and emotional resonance in Chinese culture communication

TL;DR

This study explores how media engagement leads to global impact through cultural relatability and emotional resonance in Chinese culture communication.

Contribution

The study introduces a serial moderated mediation model linking media engagement to global impact through cultural relatability and emotional resonance.

Findings

Media engagement positively influences global impact through cultural relatability and emotional resonance.

Effective Chinese culture communication strengthens the link between media engagement and cultural relatability.

The model provides practical implications for enhancing global cultural orientation through media content.

Abstract

Despite substantial research on media influence and cultural communication, the mechanisms through which media engagement drives global impact remain underexplored, particularly within the context of Chinese culture communication. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how media engagement translates into global impact through the serial mediating roles of cultural relatability and emotional resonance, moderated by the effectiveness of Chinese culture communication.

Grounded in the elaboration likelihood model and affective disposition theory, this study employs a time-lagged quantitative research design, collecting data from 411 university students in China.

The findings reveal significant positive relationships between media engagement, cultural relatability, emotional resonance, and global impact, highlighting the critical mediating roles of cultural relatability and emotional resonance. The study also demonstrates that effective Chinese culture communication amplifies the influence of media engagement on cultural relatability.

These insights contribute to existing theoretical frameworks and provide practical implications for media producers, cultural policymakers, and communication strategists aiming to enhance global cultural orientation through strategically designed cultural media content. The study acknowledges its limitations and suggests avenues for future research, advocating for more diverse samples and longitudinal designs to deepen the understanding of media-driven cultural impact.

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