Active Algorithmic Interaction and Social Capital Accumulation Among Digital Natives: The Mediating Role of Cross-Group Contact

Abstract

This study explores how digital natives’ (18–25 years old) active algorithmic interaction (e.g., adjusting recommendation settings, seeking diverse content) correlates with their social capital accumulation (bridging vs. bonding), and the mediating role of cross-group contact, plus the moderating effect of cultural context (collectivism vs. individualism). Adopting a mixed-methods design, it conducted a cross-sectional survey (N=2,287) and semi-structured interviews (N=50) with participants from five countries (China, Germany, India, Spain, Ghana). Results showed active algorithmic interaction positively predicted both types of social capital; cross-group contact exerted partial mediation on bridging social capital and full mediation on bonding social capital, with a stronger link in collectivistic cultures. Interviews identified three motivations for such interaction (information exploration, social expansion, self-development), whose facilitated cross-group contact fostered trust, reciprocity norms and social networks. These findings deepen understanding of digital natives’ proactive role in the algorithmic environment and guide rational algorithm use for social capital accumulation.

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