Environmental effects of social media on university students: A joint moderated mediation analysis of social connectedness and sustainability awareness, and perceived social support

The present study examines how social media engagement shapes environmental well-being among university students by integrating social connectedness, sustainability awareness, and perceived social support into a unified explanatory framework. Grounded in perspectives on social capital, digital connectedness, and environmental psychology, the study conceptualizes environmental well-being as an outcome influenced by the social and cognitive processes activated during online interactions. Social media is viewed as a context that enables relationship-building, identity reinforcement, and the circulation of sustainability-related meanings, all of which may contribute to more positive environmental orientations. Within this framework, social connectedness is positioned as a key mechanism that links online engagement with environmental well-being, while sustainability awareness and perceived social support serve as conditions that may strengthen this link. The study's implications highlight the potential for leveraging social media platforms to promote environmental engagement among university students through strategies that enhance connectedness, awareness, and supportive digital environments.