Can Self-Presentation on Social Media Increase Individuals’ Conspicuous Consumption Tendency?: A Mixed-Method Empirical Study on WeChat in China

Yan Lu ^[1] ; Taiyang Zhao ^[1] ; Siying Song ^[1] ; Wei Song ^[2]
1. [1] Jilin University
  
  Jilin University
  
  China
2. [2] Jilin University of Finance and Economics
  
  Jilin University of Finance and Economics
  
  China
Localización: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, ISSN-e 0718-1876, Vol. 19, Nº. 2, 2024, págs. 1206-1221
Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
- Previous studies have mainly focused on the impact of social media self-presentation on individuals’ happiness and mental health, whereas few have attended to its potential influence on consumer behavior. A mixed-method empirical study with an online survey (N = 408) and an experimental study (N = 160) investigated the effects of social media self-presentation on individuals’ conspicuous consumption in China. We found that consumers’ self-presentation behavior on social media promoted tendencies for social comparison, thereby enhancing their conspicuous consumption.
  
  However, compared with individuals using social media less often, self-presentation had a more significant impact on the social comparison tendencies of users who used social media more often.
  
  Our study explains why individuals’ self-presentation on social media increases their conspicuous consumption tendencies. The study results contribute to the existing knowledge of how consumers’ behavior on social media affects their product preferences.