Research on the impact of college students' "Buddha-like" characteristics on social responsibility and the mediating role of social support.

Introduction: Against the backdrop of China's social transformation, the "Buddha-like" mindset has permeated the college student population, emerging as a subcultural phenomenon that serves as both a stress buffer and a potential developmental risk. Methods: Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study administered a questionnaire survey to 1,147 undergraduate and vocational college students. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), hierarchical regression, and Bootstrap mediation tests, it systematically investigated the pathways through which "Buddha-like" Characteristics influence social responsibility and examined the mediating role of social support. Results: The findings revealed that: (1) "Buddha-like" Characteristics can be aggregated into a four-dimensional structure comprising Low Goal Commitment, Low Self-Transcendence, Low Interpersonal Communication, and High Dependence, which overall demonstrated a significant negative association with Social Responsibility; (2) Social Support played a partial mediating role between them, with the indirect path through Family Support being the most prominent; (3) The influence of "Buddha-like" Characteristics exhibited dimensional heterogeneity: Low Goal Commitment had both direct and indirect effect paths; Low Self-Transcendence exhibited a significant suppression effect, where Social Support masked its underlying negative nature; Low Interpersonal Communication exerted its influence entirely indirectly through Social Support; (4) High Dependence displayed characteristics of "Inconsistent Mediation," reflecting its dual functionality in family versus broader social contexts. Furthermore, the study found that "Buddha-like" Characteristics were more pronounced among undergraduates, students majoring in humanities, sciences, and agriculture, as well as those without Student Positions or Honor Statuses. Discussion: This research constructs an integrated model, provides new insights into the complex effects of the "Buddha-like" mindset, and identifies the practical pathway of mitigating its negative effects by strengthening social support, particularly Family Support.