How Do Educational Settings Influence College Students’ Reading Behavior? An Empirical Study of China’s Top Universities

The rapid rise of digital media and the accelerated pace of modern life have triggered a "reading crisis" among college students in China, which is characterized by declining deep reading abilities and increasing reliance on fragmented digital content. Understanding the multifaceted factors influencing student reading behavior is crucial for improving educational outcomes and fostering lifelong learning skills. This study examines these factors in China's top universities using an ecological systems theory framework, which considers how individual attributes (micro), university environment (mezzo), and broader social contexts (macro) interact to shape reading behavior. This study analyzed a logistic regression model based on 1667 samples from 19 top universities in China, followed by cross-analysis using contingency tables. The findings highlight the significant impact of both individual and environmental factors on reading engagement and reveal the mediating role of university policies and resources in fostering students' reading proficiency.