The effect of attitude and hedonism on hijab wear preference within the framework of consumption behavior: A comparison of 5 countries

The purpose of this study is to test women's hijab wear preference and purchase intention by planned consumption behavior within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior and by hedonic consumption, and to investigate the role of individuals' religious attitude in the relationship between planned consumption and hijab wear preference. To test the research model, an online survey was applied to hijab- wearing women living in Türkiye, Malaysia, Pakistan, Jordan and Europe as the main population and a total of 1884 data were obtained. Participants were determined by convenience sampling method, which is one of the non-random methods in the research. The data obtained were analyzed in SPSS and AMOS programs with Process Macro extension. To make comparisons between the samples in the research, explanatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis and process macro analysis were performed separately for the data obtained from each country to test the mediation. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeled mediating effect analyses were performed on the total data obtained from the main population. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, as the outputs of the theory, affect all sub-dimensions of participants' hijab wear preference; religious attitude has a full mediating role in this effect; and hedonic consumption positively affects purchase intention. In addition, in the main population, hijab wear preference was found to affect purchase intention. In terms of countries, it was determined that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control affect all sub-dimensions of hijab wear preference in Pakistan, and partially in Türkiye and Europe. In Jordan, no significant effect of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control on the sub-dimensions of hijab wear preference was found. In Türkiye and Pakistan, full mediation effect of religious attitude was found; in Europe, partial mediation effect of religious attitude was found. In Malaysia and Jordan, the mediating effect of religious attitude was not found. Hedonic consumption was found to affect purchase intention in Pakistan, Malaysia and Türkiye, but not in Jordan and Europe. Finally, while the sub-dimensions of hijab wear preference were found to affect purchase intention in Türkiye and Pakistan, a partial effect was determined in Jordan and European countries. In Malaysia, it was determined that the sub-dimensions of hijab wear preference had no effect on purchase intention. As a result of cross-country comparisons, recommendations for research, practice and future studies are presented.