Social Media Activism, Political Efficacy, and Civic Engagement among Youth: The Mediating Role of Collective Identity

Abstract

This study examines how social media activism, perceived political efficacy, and peer influence shape youth civic engagement, with collective identity serving as a mediating mechanism. Drawing on social identity theory and civic voluntarism models, the research conceptualizes collective identity as the psychological bridge linking individual motivation with social participation. Data were collected from 400 university students in urban Pakistan using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that social media activism and perceived efficacy significantly enhance collective identity, which in turn fosters civic engagement behaviors such as volunteering and online petitioning. Peer influence strengthens this pathway by normalizing civic behaviors within friendship networks. Mediation analysis confirms that collective identity partially mediates the relationship between social media activism and civic engagement, suggesting that digital spaces are not merely platforms for expression but incubators for identity-based mobilization. The study contributes to sociological discourse by integrating digital and identity perspectives within civic engagement models and offers policy implications for youth empowerment and digital literacy programs.