ESP-4176

Published

2025-10-30

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 10 (2025): Published

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Yuqi Zhou*

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Yuqi Zhou. (2025). The role of literature in group cultural identity: Constructing psychological belonging of rural communities through Chinese local literature. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(10), ESP-4176. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i10.4176

The role of literature in group cultural identity: Constructing psychological belonging of rural communities through Chinese local literature

Yuqi Zhou

University of Macau, 999078, China


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i10.4176


Keywords: group cultural identity; rural literature; psychological belonging; environmental psychology; literary psychology

Abstract

Based on group cultural identity theory and environmental psychology, this study employs a mixed-methods design to systematically analyze the mechanisms through which Chinese rural literature contributes to the construction of rural group psychological belonging. The research selected 95 classic rural literary works as textual corpus, combined with questionnaire surveys of 300 readers and in-depth interviews with 30 representative individuals. Using content analysis, thematic analysis, and statistical analysis methods, the study thoroughly explores the intrinsic connections between literary representation and group identity.The findings reveal: (1) Rural literature stimulates group cultural identity through multi-dimensional construction of environmental psychological imagery, with the emotional resonance index of natural environment descriptions reaching 4.8 points, and historical retrospective narratives showing an extremely strong positive correlation with collective memory intensity (r=0.856); (2) Character portrayal strengthens social role identification through archetypal significance and psychological projection, with typical character archetypes significantly correlating with readers' psychological identification (r=0.681), and kinship network density coefficient reaching 0.842; (3) Narrative discourse effectively delineates group psychological boundaries through strategies including dialect vernacular, value judgments, and narrative perspectives, with dialect usage density significantly correlating with group identity intensity (r=0.823); (4) Group identification mechanisms demonstrate three-dimensional integrated characteristics of cognition, emotion, and behavior, forming a complete identity construction system through environmental cognitive frameworks, emotional resonance stimulation, and behavioral norm guidance; (5) Literary representation and real-world psychology form a dynamic relationship of interactive construction, where literary works both reflect actual group psychology and exert an active constructive influence on group identity through cognitive schema shaping, emotional pattern guidance, and behavioral norm establishment. This research provides new theoretical perspectives for understanding the social psychological functions of literature and offers practical guidance for rural cultural construction and group identity cultivation.

References

[1]. 1.Yang Yiyuan, Jia Yu. Analysis of the Construction Mechanism of Young Groups' Value Identity under the Background of Patriotic Culture[J]. China's Military-Civilian Integration, 2025, (15): 140-142.

[2]. 2.Chen Yuxuan, Huang Ziqi, Zhang Yuqing. Exploring Young Groups' Identity and Reconstruction of Traditional Culture in the Digital Age[J]. Journal of Chifeng University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 2025, 46(06): 55-58.

[3]. 3.Beshri A M A. EFL Learners' Cultural Identity: A Case Study on Level Eight Female EFL Students at King Khalid University[J]. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2024, 15(6): 2034-2043.

[4]. 4.Wen X. Chinese heritage language motivation: a study of motivation development in a multicultural context[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2024, 15: 1452547-1452547.

[5]. 5.Xi Su. Research on Youth Groups' Protection and Inheritance of Rural Culture under the Background of Rural Revitalization[J]. Central Plains Culture and Tourism, 2025, (12): 25-27.

[6]. 6.David O. Identity discourse in teacher education: Developments in national-cultural identities of pre-service teachers in Israel[J]. Teaching and Teacher Education, 2025, 153: 104850-104850.

[7]. 7.Gianola M, Llabre M M, Losin R A E. Language Dominance and Cultural Identity Predict Variation in Self-Reported Personality in English and Spanish Among Hispanic/Latino Bilingual Adults[J]. Journal of Personality Assessment, 2024, 107(3): 11-13.

[8]. 8.Lin X, Wang Y, Zhan Z, et al. Effects of VR technical interaction and acceptance on rural cultural identity: The mediating role of embodied cognition and flow experience[J]. Telematics and Informatics Reports, 2024, 16: 100170-100170.

[9]. 9.Wen Daji, Liu Yi. Research on Rural Cultural Revitalization from the Perspective of Xi Jinping's Cultural Thought[J]. Journal of Huzhou University, 2025, 47(03): 11-18.

[10]. 10.Tan Hailiang, Ye Tifang. Examination of Rural Internet Celebrity Groups in Rural Cultural Revitalization: Embodied Narrative and Hyperreal Performance[J]. Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition), 2023, (06): 152-161.

[11]. 11.Wang J, Ye Q, Shuai Z, et al. The influence of transportation, social norms, cultural identity, and affective disposition in transnational media enjoyment[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2024, 15: 1377898-1377898.

[12]. 12.Lunda A, Frommherz A, Bolton G W, et al. Supporting the Cultural Identity Development of Indigenous Youth: Findings from an Indigenous Educators' Community-Of-Practice[J]. Education Sciences, 2024, 14(12): 1272-1272.

[13]. 13.Zhang T, Ren B. International students' acculturation: online cultural participation, cultural self-awareness, and cultural identity clarity[J]. Current Psychology, 2024, 43(45): 1-12.

[14]. 14.Jiang Mengyu. Positive Dissemination of Rural Culture among Young Groups through Animated Short Films[J]. Comparative Research of Cultural Innovation, 2023, 7(30): 64-69.

[15]. 15.Wang Jingjing, Huang Shengcheng. Research on Rural Cultural Revitalization Pathways from the Perspective of Comprehensive Rural Revitalization[J]. Modern Agricultural Machinery, 2023, (01): 44-49.

[16]. 16.Yang Qing, Wang Chan. Constraining Factors and Path Construction of Rural Cultural Revitalization in the New Era[J]. Border Economy and Culture, 2023, (01): 47-52.

[17]. 17.Ding Z, Aletta F. Acoustical Traditions and Cultural Identity: Exploring Kunqu's Contribution to Collective Memory[J]. Acoustics, 2024, 6(4): 1115-1139.

[18]. 18.Ògúnjìmí T I. Public Art Forms as Image and Cultural Identity of Indigenous Towns in the Òkè-Ògùn Region of Ọ̀yọ́ State, Nigeria[J]. African Arts, 2024, 57(4): 28-43.

[19]. 19.Sarvestani B D, Duden S G. Indigeneity in Context—Evolving Maya Ch'orti' Notions of Cultural Identity: A Qualitative Study From 1993 to 2019[J]. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 2025, 56(1): 40-60.

[20]. 20.Pierini R. Colour-Coding Aegean Elites: Status and Cultural Identities in Linear B Dyed Textiles and Late Bronze Age Socio-Political Changes[J]. Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History, 2024, 11(2): 401-424.

[21]. 21.Wu Zhanyong. Analysis of Rural Cultural Revitalization Short Video Practice Strategies from the Perspective of Development Communication[J]. China Publishing, 2022, (11): 26-31.

[22]. 22.Zhang S, Li Z, Chen X. Cultural Identity and Virtual Consumption in the Mimetic Homeland: A Case Study of Chinese Generation Z Mobile Game Players[J]. Social Sciences, 2025, 14(6): 362-362.

[23]. 23.Wang Y, Peng B, Tang X. Translingual practice as a discursive strategy to shape lifestyle and cultural identity[J]. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2024, 11(1): 1678-1678.

[24]. 24.Sya' H, Adah, Sudikan Y S, et al. Women in the Shadow: The Cultural Identity of Afghanistan Women in Khaled Hosseini's Novel[J]. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2024, 12(12): 118-127.

[25]. 25.DinhT V. Transnational cultural identity through everyday practices of foraging and consuming local wild plants among Vietnamese migrants in Japan and Germany[J]. Culture, Agriculture, Food and Environment, 2024, 46(2): 77-87.

[26]. 26.Zhang Fan. Research on the Cultural Leadership of College Student Village Officials under the Background of Rural Revitalization Strategy[J]. Continental Bridge Vision, 2021, (03): 55-57.

[27]. 27.Zhang Yan. Research on Rural Network Cultural Communication Strategies under the Background of Digital Villages[J]. Farm Advisor, 2020, (19): 79-80.

[28]. 28.Ma C, McKeown S, Rose J. Exploring influences of past learning experiences, individualist-collectivist cultural identity and social value orientations on Chinese and UK undergraduates' learning preferences[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2025, 16: 1555675-1555675.

[29]. 29.Cohen S, Shaw L, Smith G R, et al. Music Heritage, Music-evoked Reminiscence and Cultural Identity: Exploring Musical Connectedness to Family, Community and Place with the Chilean Diaspora of Northern England[J]. Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 2025, 102(6): 553-570.

[30]. 30.Shen Rongrong. Path Optimization of New Media Promoting Rural Cultural Communication[J]. Chinese Character Culture, 2020, (18): 156-157.

[31]. 31.Li Li, Shen Yihang, Mi Peng, et al. Research on Rural Cultural Elderly Care Architecture Design under the Background of Urbanization[J]. Urban Housing, 2020, 27(07): 151-152.

[32]. 32.Wojtaszek H, Budrowski D, Miciuła I, et al. Cultural Identity and Social Norms as Drivers of the Low-Carbon Transition: A Comparative Study of Poland and Germany[J]. Energies, 2025, 18(14): 3605-3605.

[33]. 33.Nababan A S, Hardiyansyah R M, Buulolo S, et al. Local Wisdom-based History Learning and Students' Cultural Identity: A Case Study at SMAN 11 Medan, Indonesia[J]. Journal of Global Research in Education and Social Science, 2025, 166-179.

[34]. 34.Kanchaikham C, Takagi M. Frequent design concepts for conveying cultural identity toward accommodation architecture in Chiang Mai heritage district, Thailand[J]. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 2025, 24(4): 2372-2397.

[35]. 35.Shen X. The Study on the Impact of Museum Tourism on Visitors' Cultural Identity[J]. Academic Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2025, 11(3): 56-59.

[36]. 36.Wang Yuhua. Leveraging the Role of Township Cultural Centers to Promote Rural Cultural Revitalization[J]. News and Cultural Construction, 2020, (03): 107-108.

[37]. 37.Zhang Mi. Exploring the Inheritance and Development of Chinese Red Culture among Contemporary Youth Groups[J]. China National Exposition, 2025, (07): 73-75.

[38]. 38.Buonomo A, Capecchi S, Iorio D F, et al. Does cultural identity influence the probability of employment during economic crises?[J]. Journal of Population Economics, 2025, 38(3): 61-61.

[39]. 39.Choufani R M, Larson L K, Prannik Y M. Perspectives of Refugees from Ukraine on Cultural Identity and Health Care Experiences During U.S. Resettlement[J]. Nursing Reports, 2025, 15(7): 263-263.

[40]. 40.Ma C, McKeown S, Rose J. Correction: Exploring influences of past learning experiences, individualist-collectivist cultural identity and social value orientations on Chinese and UK undergraduates' learning preferences[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2025, 16: 1654666-1654666.

[41]. 41.Chen Q. The Impact of Chinese Domestic Fantasy Films on the Cultural Identity of Overseas Chinese from an Intercultural Perspective: The Case of "Ne Zha 2"[J]. Scientific Journal Of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2025, 7(8): 87-96.

[42]. 42.He Mengting. Visual Rhetoric, Collective Memory, and Reality Construction: The Realization Logic of Social Group Cultural Identity[J]. Journal of Hefei University of Technology (Social Sciences), 2024, 38(04): 135-144.

[43]. 43.Cheng Fei. The Influence Mechanism of Different Cultural Consumer Groups on Brand Identity under the Background of Globalization[J]. National Circulation Economy, 2024, (10): 16-19.

[44]. 44.Jürgen B, Michael B, Malte J, et al. Development of life satisfaction in immigrant youth: The role of transition decisions and cultural identification[J]. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2025, 129(3): 576-601.

[45]. 45.Zakarneh B, Mahmoud M A D. Investigating the role of Arabic language in sustaining socio-cultural identity and family values in Emirati society[J]. Frontiers in Sociology, 2025, 10: 1641732-1641732.

[46]. 46.Mohamed R, Said A, Sayed E A M. Heritage Sites in Digital Age: New Pathways to Sustain Cultural Identity[J]. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2025, 1530(1): 012019-012019.

[47]. 47.Byrd J T, Glass E T, Desmet A O, et al. The Intersection of Giftedness, Disability, and Cultural Identity: A Case Study of a Young Asian American Boy[J]. Behavioral Sciences, 2025, 15(8): 1036-1036.

[48]. 48.Jeon S, Park H J. The effect of grief following loss on fear of intimacy of Korean returnee cross-cultural individuals (CCIs): The moderating effects of meaning-making and cultural identity[J]. Children and Youth Services Review, 2025, 176: 108428-108428.

[49]. 49.Lu Jiangyan, Hu Yuqing, Lü Jiefeng. Creative Spirit and Group Identity: Cultural Conventions in Chinese Folk Crafts[J]. Journal of Shandong University of Art & Design, 2023, (03): 97-100.

[50]. 50.Liu Qichao, Dai Guobin, Zhang Junxian. Research on Group Practice of Chinese Martial Arts Cultural Heritage[J]. Journal of Tianjin University of Sport, 2022, 37(03): 316-323.

[51]. 51.Gladfelter S C, Lee K T, Lee W S, et al. Examining the Relationship Between Cultural Identity, Cultural Stress, and Mental Health Outcomes in Recently Immigrated Venezuelan Families[J]. Behavioral Sciences, 2025, 15(8): 1110-1110.

[52]. 52.Jiang X, Suboh B R. Beyond Vision: The Aesthetics of Sound and Expression of Cultural Identity by Independent Malaysian Chinese Director James Lee[J]. Humanities, 2025, 14(8): 170-170.

[53]. 53.Wang Xiaofang. Research on the Weakening and Reshaping of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture among Youth Groups[J]. Journal of Guangxi Institute of Education, 2021, (06): 193-196.

[54]. 54.Dobinson T, Steele C, Winkler G. From English-only to only English: exploring children's linguistic and cultural identities in a primary school classroom[J]. Language and Education, 2025, 39(5): 1107-1128.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com