YANG Ya SU Fang YU Guoming
2025, 47(3): 109-130.
The study aimed to explore the impact of relatively objective and subjective dimensions
on digital inequality, considering both structural and agency factors. Based on data from
the China General Social Survey (CGSS 2017), the study analyzed the degree, pathways,
and group discrepancies of how structural social capital, cognitive social capital, relative
deprivation, and subjective well-being affect digital inequality. It revealed that cognitive
social capital and subjective well-being were elemental factors affecting perceived digital
inequality, among which cognitive social capital significantly negatively predicted digital
inequality, particularly in male or youth groups; and subjective well-being also significantly
negatively predicted digital inequality, particularly among women or young people; while
the relative deprivation and structural social capital had no significant impact. Therefore, it
suggests that digital inequality should be a multi-perspective, multi-dimensional, and multi-
stage issue. When determining intervention measures to enhance digital equality, it is necessary
to take a long-term perspective, combine social and technological development prospects and
predictions, and consider integrated factors as a whole, such as subjective and objective social
capital, psychological capital, and adopt comprehensive measures with multiple subjects,
levels, and dimensions.