Volume 8,Issue 8
A Study on the Current Situation and Underlying Logic of “Lying Flat” Among Undergraduate Students at Local Universities in China
Against the backdrop of increasingly intense social competition and the phenomenon of “involution”, the “lying flat” culture has gained growing popularity and acceptance among undergraduates at local universities in China, and their “lying flat” behavior has become increasingly prominent. How to properly understand this phenomenon and guide undergraduates at local universities to strive tirelessly in the new era has become an important research topic. This study conducted a questionnaire survey to assess the current prevalence of the “lying flat” phenomenon among undergraduates and identify differences among various student groups. The findings reveal that a significant proportion of undergraduates at local universities currently exhibit “lying flat” behaviors in their studies, daily lives, and social interactions. Furthermore, such behaviors are more pronounced among students who are not only children, males, those from counties or smaller areas, first-year students, and those majoring in the humanities. Building on this foundation, this study analyzes the underlying logic behind the “lying flat” phenomenon among undergraduate students from four perspectives: socioeconomic transformation, communication between families and universities, peer group influence, and diminished self-efficacy. It also proposes countermeasures and recommendations in four areas—support systems, education on ideals and beliefs, mental health education, and family support—with the aim of helping undergraduate students overcome the “lying flat” dilemma.
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