“Mirror, Mirror, Am I Beautiful?” Mechanisms of Self-Image Cognition and Behavioral Responses Among Chinese Youth in the Context of Digital Beauty Filter Use: A Mixed-Methods Study Using Grounded Theory and fsQCA

As digital beauty filters have become widespread among young people, their links with self-image cognition and behavioral responses have attracted growing attention. However, existing studies largely focus on Western samples or linear approaches, leaving Chinese youth underexplored in their cultural context. Using mixed methods combining grounded theory and fsQCA, this study examines the mechanisms shaping self-image cognition and behavioral responses among Chinese youth in the context of digital beauty filter use. Semi-structured interviews and three-stage coding identified four core categories: Beauty Filter Use Habits, Beauty Filter Use Motivations, Beauty Filter Use Preferences, and Psychological Responses to Beauty Filter Use. Building on this, fsQCA identified five configurational pathways. The psychological-response–motivation and psychological-response–preference core coexistence configurations were linked to high Self-Image Cognition; the three non-high Self-Image Cognition pathways formed two patterns: dual absence of psychological responses and motivations, and motivational-core absence with coexisting habits and preferences. Different self-image cognition outcomes may relate to adaptive behaviors, such as moderate retouching and naturalized self-presentation, or risk-related behaviors, such as avoidance of original images and overdependence on beauty filters. This study offers a new perspective on youth authentic self-construction and technological adaptation in the digital visual era, with implications for media literacy education, platform design, and mental health intervention.