Climato-Economic Origins of Variations in Uniqueness of Nickname on Sina Weibo

Frontiers in Psychology

Xiaopeng Ren¹  Yue Chen²  Lingnan He² 

[1] Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China;School of Communication and Design, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China;

关键词: uniqueness;    climate demand;    social ecology;    social media network;    China;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.599750

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

In the world of social media, people are free to choose names based on their preferences, which may potentially reflect certain levels of uniqueness. In this study, we have attempted to explore the possibility of applying the ecological theory of individualism/collectivism in the context of social media. We, thus, examined provincial variations in the uniqueness of nicknames among more than 13 million Sina Weibo users. Initially, the nickname uniqueness indicator was set at the provincial level. It was found that the uniqueness of nicknames was the highest in provinces with temperate climates, for example Guangdong, and the lowest in provinces with demanding climate, such as Ningxia. Regression analysis results partially supported that inhabitants in provinces with temperate climate were more likely to use unique nicknames on social media compared to those from harsh climate. This finding is significant in terms of ecology.

【 授权许可】

CC BY