ArticlePloS one2025
The effect of digital media on college students' sports participation: The mediating role of sports cognition and the moderating role of self-efficacy.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Association between exercise-related social media use and exercise self-efficacy: a PLS-SEM approach.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWith the increasing integration of digital media into daily life, its influence on college students' sport-related behaviors has become a growing area of interest. While prior research highlights the general benefits of media exposure, the specific psychological mechanisms through which digital media use affects sports participation remain insufficiently understood.
methodsDrawing on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study explores how digital media use influences sports participation through the mediating role of sports cognition and the moderating role of self-efficacy. A total of 628 college students (M = 20.14, SD = 1.78) from seven comprehensive universities across China participated in a cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and moderated mediation analysis.
resultsDigital media use was positively associated with students' sports participation. Sports cognition significantly mediated this relationship, suggesting that media use enhances participation indirectly by shaping individuals' knowledge and understanding of sports. Additionally, self-efficacy moderated the link between cognition and behavior, indicating that individuals with higher self-efficacy are more likely to convert sports-related knowledge into action.
conclusionThese findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how digital media engagement supports sports participation through both cognitive and motivational pathways. The results offer practical implications for educators and media developers seeking to foster physical activity among college students by leveraging digital platforms.
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