In the context of controversial public issues, social media has become a key channel for shaping civic engagement and mobilizing collective action. Drawing on Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS) and Social Capital Theory, this study investigates how individual-level cognitive perceptions—such as problem recognition, constraint recognition, involvement recognition, and social media self-efficacy—predict willingness to participate in collective action. The model also examines the roles of interpersonal injustice as potential explanatory mechanisms. Using a time-lagged survey design, data were collected from 423 respondents in Guangdong province, China. The findings demonstrate that social media self-efficacy, problem recognition, constraint and involvement recognition positively influence collective action intentions. Interpersonal injustice further contribute to the model, with the latter showing a significant association with decreased willingness to act. The study highlights how social media engagement in controversial contexts can activate participatory behaviors through cognitive and perceptual pathways. These findings offer practical implications for public communication strategies, digital platform governance, and issue-based mobilization efforts.
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