MMS, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2025, pp.163-181.
Print ISSN: 3078-3151; Online ISSN: 3104-5049
Journal homepage: https://www.mmsjournal.com
DOI: Https://doi.org/10.64058/MMS.25.2.01
A Qualitative Study of Xiaohongshu’s Impact on Malaysian Chinese Secondary Students’ Perceptions of Their National and Cultural Identities
Liu Yanjing（柳云婧）, Tan Huey Pyng（陈慧萍）
Abstract: This study explores how Xiaohong Shu, a widely popular social media platform, influences the cultural and national identity formation of Malaysian Chinese secondary school students. Although these students share ethnic heritage with Chinese people in mainland China, their cultural experiences are shaped by distinct geographical, historical, and social contexts. The research focuses on how Xiaohong Shu’s portrayal of Chinese films, narratives, and national imagery subtly shapes students’ perceptions of identity. Utilizing purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews, the study engages a group of active Xiaohong Shu users to examine the relationship between media exposure and identity negotiation. The findings reveal that while most participants maintain a strong sense of Malaysian identity despite frequent exposure to Chinese cultural content, a minority show growing affinity toward China. This study contributes to the broader understanding of identity construction among youth in multicultural societies and offers valuable insights for future media literacy initiatives and cross-cultural communication research.
Keywords: Malaysian Chinese secondary students；National identity；Cultural identity；Xiaohong Shu；Media effect theory；Cognitive effect
Author Biography: Liu Yanjing (Corresponding Author), graduated with a Bachelor of Communication (Honours) in Journalism from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), and is pursuing a master’s degree in international journalism at the University of Leeds. Conducted research focusing on journalism and culture. E-mail: lyj134340@gmail.com.Tan Huey Pyng, a Malaysian academic, holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (Media and Culture) from the University of Science Malaysia and is an Assistant Professor in the Journalism Department at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). Her research focuses on media effects, identity representation, local culture and history. E-mail: tanhp@utar.edu.my.
标题：一项关于小红书对马来西亚华裔中学生国家和文化认同感影响的定性研究
摘要：本研究探讨了小红书这一广受欢迎的社交媒体平台如何影响马来西亚华裔中学生文化与民族身份的形成。尽管这些学生与中国大陆的中国人有着共同的民族血统，但他们的文化体验受到独特的地理、历史和社会环境的影响。研究重点关注小红书对中国电影、叙事和国家形象的呈现如何微妙地塑造学生的身份认知。通过目的抽样和半结构化访谈，本研究选取了一群活跃的小红书用户，以考察媒体接触与身份协商之间的关系。研究结果表明，尽管大多数参与者在频繁接触中国文化内容的情况下仍保持着强烈的马来西亚身份认同，但少数人对中国表现出日益增长的亲近感。本研究为多元文化社会中青少年身份构建的更广泛理解做出了贡献，并为未来的媒体素养倡议和跨文化沟通研究提供了宝贵的见解。
关键词：马来西亚华裔中学生；国家认同；文化认同；小红书；媒体效果理论；认知效果
作者简介：柳云婧（通讯作者），毕业于马来西亚拉曼大学，获传播学学士（新闻学荣誉学位），现于英国利兹大学攻读国际新闻学硕士学位。研究方向：新闻业与文化。电邮：lyj134340@gmail.com。陈慧萍，马来西亚学者，获马来西亚理科大学哲学博士学位（媒体与文化方向），现任马来西亚拉曼大学新闻学系助理教授。研究方向：媒体效果、身份表征、本土文化与历史。联系邮箱：tanhp@utar.edu.my。
Received: 12 Oct 2025 / Revised: 01 Nov 2025 / Accepted: 16 Nov 2025 / Published online: 30 Nov 2025 / Print published: 30 Dec 2025
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