Research on the Influence Mechanism of Primary School Students’ Internet Use on Creativity Development

Abstract

The 55th “Statistical Report on the Development of China’s Internet” released by the China Internet Society in January 2025 shows that as of December 2024, the number of Internet users in China has reached 1.108 billion, among which the proportion of Internet users aged 6 to 19 is 16.7%, and the Internet penetration rate is 77.5%. Among them, the Internet penetration rate of primary school students has reached 97.1%, an increase of nearly 12 percentage points compared with five years ago. The average daily online time has exceeded 2.5 hours. The Internet has become an indispensable part of primary school students’ study and life. The influence of Internet usage on the creative development of primary school students has increasingly attracted the attention of educators and researchers. Understanding the current situation of Internet usage among primary school students and analyzing its advantages and disadvantages are of great significance for promoting the healthy growth of primary school students. To explore the current situation of Internet usage among primary school students and its impact on creative development, a total of 726 middle and upper-grade primary school students from four primary schools in four urban districts of Hohhot were selected as the research subjects. A combined method of the Internet Usage Scale and the Creativity Measurement Tool was adopted to analyze the relationship between Internet usage time, types and creative thinking. The research finds that moderate use of educational online content can significantly enhance divergent thinking. The research results provide relevant basis for formulating reasonable online usage strategies for primary school students.