The effect of social media on hedonic consumption of young people: A comparative study on university youth

Acceleration of production process by technological developments has majorly accumulated consumption, bringing along variation of consumption behaviour of individuals and a change in their goals with the effect of globalization and developments in communication technologies. As one of the most extensive human interaction platforms, social media, a significant factor of this change, has an influence on purchasing behaviour and consumption. The role of social media and social media influencers on consumption behaviour of consumers has become the subject of scientific studies. These studies address the consumption and social media subjects, which have enormous and complicated structure, through specific aspects. The study has been conducted with the aim to concurrently review the role of Instagram and Instagram influencers on consumption behaviour of young people. With this purpose, the study has focused on specification of both hedonic consumption behaviour of young people on Instagram and differences and similarities between hedonic consumption behaviour inclined toward Instagram influencers, and a comparative analysis has been made. In the study, the dimensions of university youth's hedonic comsumption behaviour inclined toward Instagram and Instagram influencers have been analyzed. Within the scope of the study, the scales of "Hedonic Consumption Behaviour of Young People on Instagram" and "Young People's Hedonic Consumption Behaviour Inclined Toward Instagram Influencers" have been developed after literature review of hedonic consumption and social media and adaptation of phrases in the scales, of which validation and reliability have been scientifically approved, to the characteristics of the subject of the study and population. A pilot study related to phrases in the scales has been conducted and the questionnaire has been finalized. The scale to determine hedonic consumption behaviour of young people on Instagram includes five subscales and 19 phrases whereas the scale to determine young people's hedonic consumption behaviour inclined toward Instagram influencers includes two subscales and 11 phrases. According to the results, Instagram and Instagram influencers have a resonating role in hedonic consumption behaviour of young people, and interaction power of Instagram, as a social media platform, stimulates consumption through hedonic motives. As a conclusion, the study stresses the significance of Instagram and Instagram influencers on hedonic consumption behaviour of young people as being an efficient social media tool towards shopping and purchasing activities.