"Self-Ornamentation" in Digital Socializing: The Generation Mechanism and
Pathway Analysis of Youth's "Prefabricated Moments" from the Perspective of
Time-Space Distanciation
Li Jichu, Zhou Ting, Jin Huan¹
（1. Li Jichu, Zhou Ting, Jin Huan School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Institute of GraphicCommunication，China）
[Abstract] In the wave of digitalization, social media has gradually evolved into a meta-medium reshaping the lifestyle of the masses. Focusing on the prefabrication behavior in WeChat Moments, this study integrates Giddens' theory of time-space distanciation, employs grounded theory and semi-structured in-depth interviews, and investigates 22 young users aged 14–35. The findings reveal that the use of Moments has shifted from "instant recording" to "elaborate performance," with prefabrication serving as an adaptive practice for youth to cope with social anxiety, attention dilution, and temporal-spatial fragmentation. The accumulation of social capital, peer pressure, demand for emotional feedback, and information gaming collectively drive prefabrication behaviors. By means of delayed posting and content reconstruction, users achieve time-space distanciation and realize their idealized self-presentation. This study delineates the core differences between spontaneous and prefabricated Moments, analyzes the social logic and alienation risks underlying such behaviors, enriches the application of time-space distanciation and self-presentation theories in local digital social scenarios, and offers practical references for guiding youth toward rational socializing and optimizing platform governance.
[Keywords] prefabricated Moments; time-space distanciation; digital theater; self-presentation
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