Moderating effect of individual needs on the relationship between social media usage and news reading intention among college students in China

Social media carries a rich and colorful user experience, and news remains an important part of public life. In recent years, many scholars at home and abroad have studied the specific behaviors of users through certain media. However, few scholars study news reading on social media in China. This study investigates the relationship between social media usage and news reading intentions among Chinese college students, with a focus on individual needs as a moderating factor. Integrating the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), a theoretical framework was developed to explain behavioral intentions in the context of social media use. A quantitative survey design was employed, collecting 481 valid responses from four colleges in Beijing through cluster and simple random sampling. Data analysis utilized structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS) and Smart-PLS software. The findings revealed that social media usage explained 56.3% of the variance in news reading intention, with performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and habit identified as significant predictors. Additionally, individual needs moderate the relationship between effort expectancy of social media use and news reading intention, and this moderating effect can also be found in the relationship between habit and news reading intention. Theoretically, this study advances the integration of these two theories, enriching the understanding of behavioral intentions in social media contexts. Practically, the results provide insights for college students, social media platforms, and media organizations to enhance news delivery, improve the media environment, and better meet the needs of young audiences.

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