US-based social media use and American life: A study of Chinese students’ acculturation and adaptation in America

Abstract

This study investigated how the use of major US-based social media is related to the acculturation and adaptation among Chinese students in America. Survey data collected from 408 respondents showed that more frequent Facebook and Twitter use activities contributed to higher acculturation, whereas more frequent responses received on the two Social Networking Services led to better adaptation. Online network sizes have more robust effects on the acculturation than on adaptation. Implications about how social media use may affect their online network subgroups were also discussed.

Keywords

Acculturation adaptation diaspora network size social media

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