Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Development and validation of the Chinese university students' social mentality questionnaire: a four-component model
Background:
Social mentality serves as a crucial psychological barometer of social changes. However, there is a lack of systematic, multidimensional measurement tools specifically tailored for Chinese university students, a group critical to the nation's future. Based on the theoretical framework of the Cognition-Emotion-Values-Behavior four-component model, this study aimed to develop and validate the Chinese University Students' Social Mentality Questionnaire (CUSSMQ).
Methods:
A total of 1,315 university students from 10 universities across China were recruited. The sample was randomly split into two independent subsamples for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA, N = 658) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, N = 657). Item analysis, internal consistency reliability testing, and criterion-related validity testing were conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale.
Results:
EFA results identified a stable factor structure across four subscales: (1) Social Cognition (6 factors, including distinct Family Support and Social Support); (2) Social Emotion (3 factors, identifying Positive, Oppositional, and Vulnerable emotions); (3) Social Values (initially 4 factors in EFA; Materialism was subsequently removed at the CFA stage due to a non-significant higher-order loading, yielding 3 factors: National Identity, Pragmatism, and Social Responsibility); and (4) Social Behavioral Tendencies (3 factors). CFA indicated excellent model fit for all subscales (CFI ≥ 0.929, TLI ≥ 0.923, RMSEA ≤ 0.068, SRMR ≤ 0.067). The scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's α coefficients ranging from 0.72 to 0.95 across dimensions. Criterion-related validity was supported by significant correlations between the CUSSMQ dimensions and prosocial tendencies.
Conclusion:
The CUSSMQ proves to be a reliable and valid instrument with sound psychometric properties. Its refined dimensional structure-particularly the differentiation in support sources and emotional types-provides a solid empirical foundation for educators and policymakers to monitor and guide the social mentality of Chinese youth in a targeted manner.
Related Concept Videos
Need for Self-Esteem
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other