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<p>Earthy short videos, as a distinctive cultural phenomenon within China’s internet landscape, reflect the tension between grassroots media practices and mainstream culture through their rise and decline. This study, grounded in perceived value theory, examines the influence of five dimensions—usefulness, enjoyment, self-presentation, social interaction, and subcultural recognition—on the production and consumption (prosumption) behaviour of small-town youth towards such content. Through questionnaire surveys of 548 small-town youths and PLS-SEM analysis, the study found that usefulness and subcultural recognition exerted significant positive effects on both production and consumption; enjoyment significantly influenced consumption positively but negatively impacted production; self-presentation only positively impacts production; and social interaction shows no significant effect on either. The study reveals a differentiated motivational mechanism underpinning small-town youth’s production-consumption behaviour: production is primarily driven by instrumental rationality and identity confirmation, while consumption serves both emotional experience and identity maintenance functions. This study extends the application boundaries of perceived value theory within subcultural media research, refines the generalized understanding of social interaction value, operationalizes the prosumption concept, and develops a subcultural recognition scale. It provides practical guidance for platform operations, content creation, and social governance.</p>

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Instrumental rationality and identity confirmation: the dual drivers of small-town youth’s prosumption of earthy short videos

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月6日

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  • Guo Pianpian,
  • Bahiyah Omar

摘要

Earthy short videos, as a distinctive cultural phenomenon within China’s internet landscape, reflect the tension between grassroots media practices and mainstream culture through their rise and decline. This study, grounded in perceived value theory, examines the influence of five dimensions—usefulness, enjoyment, self-presentation, social interaction, and subcultural recognition—on the production and consumption (prosumption) behaviour of small-town youth towards such content. Through questionnaire surveys of 548 small-town youths and PLS-SEM analysis, the study found that usefulness and subcultural recognition exerted significant positive effects on both production and consumption; enjoyment significantly influenced consumption positively but negatively impacted production; self-presentation only positively impacts production; and social interaction shows no significant effect on either. The study reveals a differentiated motivational mechanism underpinning small-town youth’s production-consumption behaviour: production is primarily driven by instrumental rationality and identity confirmation, while consumption serves both emotional experience and identity maintenance functions. This study extends the application boundaries of perceived value theory within subcultural media research, refines the generalized understanding of social interaction value, operationalizes the prosumption concept, and develops a subcultural recognition scale. It provides practical guidance for platform operations, content creation, and social governance.