Influencing Factors of Selfie Psychological Demands in the Post-Epidemic Era: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Chinese Female Fitness Enthusiasts

With the popularization of 6G technology and the maturity of generative AI, social media has evolved into a core digital ecosystem for self-expression, reshaping the selfie behaviors and psychological demands of female fitness enthusiasts globally. This study integrates Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Guilford’s Theory of Personality Traits, and Higgins’ Self-Discrepancy Theory to explore the influencing factors of selfie psychological demands among Chinese female fitness enthusiasts in post-pandemic era and their cross-cultural differences with Western counterparts. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, including a quantitative survey N = 528 and semi-structured interviews N = 30. Quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and mediating or moderating effect tests. Qualitative data were thematically coded to supplement contextual insights. Results indicate that social needs and self-actualization needs are significant positive predictors of selfie psychological demands, with network social support playing a partial mediating role. Generative AI editing behavior and divergent thinking significantly moderated the relationship between psychological needs and selfie behaviors. Cross-culturally, Chinese female enthusiasts prioritized that social connection through fitness achievement display, while Western counterparts emphasize that body positivity and individual uniqueness. The findings fill the research gap of integrating technological context AI and cross-cultural comparison into selfie psychological research, providing theoretical references for cross-cultural psychology and practical implications for social media platform design and fitness industry marketing.