Revealing the social changes of the reading world: A dynamic analysis on changing trend of urban residents’ reading behavior based on the APC-I model

Reading is undergoing transformations in the digital era. Previous studies were often limited to examining the impact of a single temporal factor on the changes in individual reading behavior, but ignored the complexity of social changes over time. Drawing on the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) 2012–2021 national sample data (N = 21,407), this study employs the Age-Period-Cohort-Interaction Model (APC-I) to empirically analyze the age, period, and cohort effects on high-frequency reading behaviors among urban residents. The findings indicate the following: first, the three temporal variables—age, period, and cohort—influence high-frequency reading behavior among urban residents, with the period and age effects being particularly pronounced; second, the age effect reveals a U-shaped trend in high-frequency reading behavior; third, the period effect demonstrates a “sharp-moderate” decline over time, with the rate of decline slowing in 2021; fourth, different cohorts exhibit distinct patterns of high-frequency reading behavior across various periods. Specifically, compared to those born between 1957 and 1997, individuals born before 1957 or after 2001 are more likely to engage in high-frequency reading behaviors. These findings reveal the complexity and diversity of urban residents’ high-frequency reading behavior, expand the theoretical framework of reading sociology, and offer robust data support and methodological guidance for analyzing the changing trends of reading behavior and social transformation, which have important reference significance for grasping and guiding residents’ reading behavior, creating a reading atmosphere.