ACGN Culture on Adolescent Social Media Platforms: The Construction of Cultural Identity and Group Belonging

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanisms through which participation in ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, and Novels) fan communities on Chinese social media platforms contributes to the construction of cultural identity and a sense of group belonging among adolescents. Situated within the framework of Social Identity Theory, this research posits that active community engagement and perceived group cohesion are significant predictors of these psychological outcomes. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 485 Chinese adolescents (aged 14-19) who are active members of online ACGN communities. Data were collected via an online questionnaire measuring four key constructs: ACGN Community Engagement, Perceived Group Cohesion, Cultural Identity Formation, and Sense of Group Belonging. Two multiple linear regression models were employed for data analysis. The results indicate that both ACGN Community Engagement and Perceived Group Cohesion are strong, statistically significant positive predictors of both Cultural Identity Formation (R^2 =0.56 and Sense of Group Belonging (R^2 =.63). These findings provide empirical support for the application of Social Identity Theory in digital subcultural contexts and underscore the critical role of online fan communities as spaces for significant developmental work during adolescence. The study concludes that these digital environments are not merely for media consumption but function as vital social worlds where identity is explored, and belonging is forged.