A study on the motivational determinants of conspicuous consumption on social media

This study aims to examine the conspicuous consumption behaviours of individuals on online platforms, which are an important source of power in today's digital age. In this context, the main purpose of the study is to determine the psychological motivations underlying conspicuous consumption behaviours on social media. In the study, it is aimed to analyse the relationships between materialism, social comparison tendency, envy in social media and desire for self-promotion with online conspicuous consumption. In addition, it is also aimed to examine the mediating role of the desire for self-promotion in the effect of materialism, social comparison tendency, and social media envy on ostentatious consumption on social media. In this study, which adopted a quantitative research design, data were obtained through convenience sampling by applying face-to-face and online surveys to 662 people over the age of 18 who use Instagram. In the analysis of the data, SPSS was used for descriptive statistics, AMOS software was used for the hypotheses of the study, and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling and mediation analyses were performed. As a result of the findings of the study, it was found that materialism had a significant effect on online conspicuous consumption and the desire for self-promotion had a mediating role in this effect. It was determined that social comparison tendency and social media envy had no effect on online conspicuous consumption. It was concluded that materialism and social comparison tendency had an effect on the desire for self-promotion, but social media envy had no effect on the desire for self-promotion. While it was revealed that the desire for self-promotion has a mediating role in the effect of social comparison tendency on online ostentatious consumption, it was revealed that the desire for self-promotion does not have a mediating role in the effect of social media envy on online ostentatious consumption. These results will contribute to the literature in terms of understanding the motivations of online conspicuous consumption. This research not only introduces a comprehensive model of online conspicuous consumption but also paves the way for future research in this area. The findings provide valuable insights for marketing managers, enabling them to develop a better understanding of users' psychological motivations when engaging in online consumption behaviours and adapt their strategies accordingly.