西部民族地区互联网使用对居民国家认同感的积极影响——基于宁夏三县（区）民族村的调查

西部民族地区已实现互联网基础设施建设全面覆盖，但互联网使用影响国家认同感的具体机制尚未在已有研究中得到充分揭示。本文从铸牢中华民族共同体意识出发，考察互联网环境中信息接触、在线交往和媒介偏好对西部民族地区农村居民国家认同感的影响，从中识别出产生实证性效果的具体因素。研究发现，西部民族地区居民国家认同感高，且态度稳定一致；互联网已经成为形塑国家认同感的主要舆论场域：在人际层面，异质性在线交往对国家认同产生积极影响；在个体层面，网络信息环境通过个体媒介偏好对国家认同产生差异化的影响。研究强调了互联网是形塑西部民族地区居民国家认同的重要路径这一基本事实，揭示出异质性在线交往和网络新闻偏好对强化国家认同的重要意义。

The Positive Effect of Internet Use on National Identity of Residents in Western Ethnic Minority Areas: Based on a Survey of Residents of Ethnic Minority Villages in Three Counties (Districts) of Ningxia

The key factors by which Internet use affects national identity have not been fully studied in existing research. Most studies appear to regard the Internet as a content medium and examine the political impact of online behavior (such as use duration and frequency). Actually, the popularization of the Internet seems to have complicated the online information environment: Findings indicate that, in terms of meaning, market-driven non-official media, such as WeChat and short videos, have provided large amounts of commercial information, broadening the optional scope of information exchange between residents. At the behavioral level, users display diversified Internet behaviors. In addition to traditional information acquisition behaviors, there are also online communication practices. Different types of information exposure content and user behavior may result in differentiated political and psychological effects. Empirical research further shows that the impact of Internet use on the national identity of Chinese residents has been unstable. For different groups and situations, there are three possible relationships conceivably causing positive, negative, or no significant effects. The before-mentioned destabilizing effect is likely to arise from failing to consider the complexity of the Internet as an information environment. Therefore, this study not only regards the Internet as a single technical variable and therefore examines the impact of its general use on national identity, but it also expands the research into a multi-factor impact study in the broader context of the Internet. It is dedicated to identifying specific motivations and types of conduct that influence the formation, maintenance, and development of national identity in an increasingly complex information environment. Given the above background, this paper used the questionnaire survey data of 11 villages in 3 counties/districts of Ningxia to carry out the research. It attempted to examine the influence of information contact, online communication, and media preference on national identity in the Internet environment at the social, interpersonal, and individual levels. The study found that residents in western ethnic minority areas have developed a high sense of national identity, and their attitudes appear to be stable and consistent; the Internet, moreover, has become the main arena of public opinion that shapes national identity. Compared to traditional media, the Internet offers more complex mechanisms for influencing national identity: at the interpersonal level, heterogeneous online interactions have a positive effect on national identity; at the individual level, the online information environment apparently has a differentiated impact on national identity because of individual media preferences. This study additionally demonstrates the fundamental fact that the Internet has become an important pathway in shaping national identity for residents of western ethnic minority areas, revealing the importance of heterogeneous online interactions and online news preferences in strengthening national identity. Finally, based on the survey data and research findings from the western ethnic minority areas, this paper offers some practical insights on how to make good use of the Internet for publicity and further forge a sense of the Chinese national community: 1) At the level of the information environment, one should adapt to the rapid economic and social development of ethnic regions, continuously improve the capacity to ensure public education and culture, and optimize news supply mechanisms. 2) At the level of interpersonal interaction, the scope of heterogeneous online communication should be expanded. Finally, 3) at the level of individual characteristics, one ought to cultivate the ability and self-discipline of residents in ethnic minority areas to use the Internet.