Family socioeconomic status and internet altruistic behavior among Chinese adolescents: The mediating effect of personal belief in a just world and emotional intelligence

Abstract

How the family socioeconomic status (SES) is related to internet altruistic behavior (IAB) among adolescents, and the mechanism between family SES and IAB is still unclear. We propose that higher family SES is associated with higher adolescents’ personal belief in a just world (PBJW) which, in turn, increases emotional intelligence (EI); Finally, EI is related to IAB. The 590 adolescents from a public high school in Northeast China were invited to complete the family SES assessment, PBJW, EI and IAB questionnaires. Results supported our model, indicating that the effect of family SES on IAB is mediated by PBJW and EI separately and sequentially. An important value of current study is to extend the relationship between family SES and altruistic behavior into the cyberspace, and put up a public notice that the vital function of PBJW and EI. These findings promote the expansion of the literature describing the beneficial factors that promote adolescents' participation in IAB.