The effect of consumer ethnocentrism on impulse buying behavior: The mediating role of ethnic identity

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of consumer ethnocentrism on impulsive buying behavior and to reveal the mediating role of ethnic identity in this relationship. With the impact of globalization, consumers' perceptions of domestic and foreign products are diverging; feelings of national and ethnic belonging are becoming increasingly decisive in purchasing decisions. In this context, the assumption that the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and impulsive buying behavior can be shaped through individuals' perceptions of ethnic identity forms the basis of this study. The study is significant because it examines consumer behavior from a socio-psychological perspective. This research was designed using a quantitative research method, and data were collected using a survey technique. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software; exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as structural equation modeling were conducted. The mediating effect was tested using the bootstrap method. The research findings indicate that consumer ethnocentrism has a significant impact on impulsive buying behavior, and ethnic identity plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. The results suggest that a strong perception of ethnic identity can reinforce ethnocentric attitudes, leading consumers to make faster and more impulsive purchasing decisions. However, this study makes a unique contribution to the literature by being one of the limited number of studies that address consumer ethnocentrism, ethnic identity, and impulsive buying behavior within the framework of the mediation model in the Turkish context.