A research of the effect of social media on conspicuous consumption in terms of bandwagon effect and snob effect

Conspicuous consumption; the goods and services that people buy in order to show others their status and dignity. The product or service used functions as a sign of prestige, strength, and status. The individual exhibits consumer behavior by displaying the product or service used to its environment. Social media, together with the developing technology, is becoming a suitable environment for conspicuous consumption. The purpose of this study; to analyze the effect of social media on conspicuous consumption to reveal to what extent the snob and bandwagon factors have an intermediary effect at the effect level between these variables. In this research, data were collected from 282 people who actively use social media through the online survey method. The data analyzed by using SPSS and AMOS statistical programs. According to the results of this analysis; the effect of demographic factors on social media usage level, conspicuous consumption level, snob effect level and bandwagon effect level are examined; it was found to differ statistically according to age and income levels. In regression analysis to estimate the scale scores over five demographic factors, the models were significant within 4 scale scores, in other words, demographic factors have been shown to have a general effect and explanatory feature on social media usage level, conspicuous consumption level, snob effect level, and bandwagon effect level. As a result of two structural equation models established for the mediating effect of snob effect and bandwagon effect factors, a significant effect was found between variables.