Cultural Consumption and Subjective Social Status: The Mediating Role of Cosmopolitan Cultural Capital and Differences Across Cultural Domains

Abstract

In an era of globalization and digitalization, cosmopolitan cultural capital has become a key resource for social status acquisition in non-Western societies. However, its mechanisms of influence remain underexplored. Using nationally representative data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study examines how cultural consumption (CC) affects individuals’ subjective social status (SSS), and whether this effect is mediated by English proficiency (EP), cross-border travel experience (CBT), and global knowledge (GK). Regression results, controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and psychological factors—and addressing endogeneity—confirm a significant causal effect of CC on SSS. Structural equation modeling shows that EP and CBT significantly mediate this relationship, while GK does not. A comparative analysis across seven cultural domains reveals three distinct patterns: full mediation in mass-oriented domains (cinema, books and press, internet); partial mediation in elite-oriented domains (performing arts, sound recordings, sports); and a suppression effect in the television domain. The study makes four theoretical contributions. It introduces opportunity-oriented cultural consumption, emphasizing functional capital conversion over symbolic distinction. It refines the internal structure of cosmopolitan cultural capital by identifying heterogeneity in its components. It questions the superficial similarity of status outcomes across cultural domains by revealing stratified mechanisms of capital conversion. Finally, it highlights a digital divide in access to and use of global cultural resources. These findings offer new insights into how cultural practices shape social stratification in non-Western contexts and inform strategies for promoting cultural equity through education and policy.