Abstract:
Based on the 2015 Chinese General Social Survey data, this paper analyzes the mechanism that influences youth′s social trust through different media by multiple mediator models. The study finds that education has both a direct positive impact on social trust and an indirect impact through the media. However, the indirect effects of education on trust through new and traditional media have heterogeneous characteristics at different levels of education. In low education groups, education improves social trust through traditional media, while new media weakens social trust; but in higher education groups, the negative indirect effects of new media on social trust are no longer significant. It is proposed to continuously improve the quality of education, strengthen the management of new media content, and achieve the unity of guidance and governance.