The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model
This study explored the effects of social networking site use intensity, upward social comparison, and optimism on college students’ conspicuous consumption and their mechanisms of action using a sample of Chinese college students. A total of 717 Chinese college students (M = 20.08, SD = 1.44; 73.9%...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-09-01
|
| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/9/732 |
| _version_ | 1797581264636608512 |
|---|---|
| author | Lei Xu Zhaoxizi Lu Lingyun Wang Jiwen Chen Lan Tian Shuangshuang Cai Shun Peng |
| author_facet | Lei Xu Zhaoxizi Lu Lingyun Wang Jiwen Chen Lan Tian Shuangshuang Cai Shun Peng |
| author_sort | Lei Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study explored the effects of social networking site use intensity, upward social comparison, and optimism on college students’ conspicuous consumption and their mechanisms of action using a sample of Chinese college students. A total of 717 Chinese college students (M = 20.08, SD = 1.44; 73.9% female) completed the Social Network Use Intensity Scale, the Upward Social Comparison Scale, the Life Orientation Test, and the Conspicuous Consumption Scale. The results indicate that (1) the intensity of use of social networking sites significantly positively predicts the conspicuous consumption behavior of college students; (2) upward social comparison plays a mediating role between the intensity of social networking site usage and conspicuous consumption; and (3) optimism moderates the second half of the mediating path between the intensity of social networking site use, upward social comparison, and conspicuous consumption. Specifically, the relationship between upward social comparison and conspicuous consumption among college students with low optimism levels is stronger than that among college students with high levels of optimism. Intensity has a stronger positive effect on conspicuous consumption through upward social comparison. It is concluded that the intensity of college students’ use of social networking sites can affect their conspicuous consumption behavior through upward social comparison, and this relationship is moderated by optimism. The results of the study help to reveal the influence of SNS (social networking site) use behavior on conspicuous consumption and its mechanism of action and have implications for reducing the negative impact of conspicuous consumption on college students. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:02:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df5193e9829e4c14acc68cebfe4d8f5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:02:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-df5193e9829e4c14acc68cebfe4d8f5e2023-11-19T09:35:00ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2023-09-0113973210.3390/bs13090732The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation ModelLei Xu0Zhaoxizi Lu1Lingyun Wang2Jiwen Chen3Lan Tian4Shuangshuang Cai5Shun Peng6School of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaSchool of Education, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaThis study explored the effects of social networking site use intensity, upward social comparison, and optimism on college students’ conspicuous consumption and their mechanisms of action using a sample of Chinese college students. A total of 717 Chinese college students (M = 20.08, SD = 1.44; 73.9% female) completed the Social Network Use Intensity Scale, the Upward Social Comparison Scale, the Life Orientation Test, and the Conspicuous Consumption Scale. The results indicate that (1) the intensity of use of social networking sites significantly positively predicts the conspicuous consumption behavior of college students; (2) upward social comparison plays a mediating role between the intensity of social networking site usage and conspicuous consumption; and (3) optimism moderates the second half of the mediating path between the intensity of social networking site use, upward social comparison, and conspicuous consumption. Specifically, the relationship between upward social comparison and conspicuous consumption among college students with low optimism levels is stronger than that among college students with high levels of optimism. Intensity has a stronger positive effect on conspicuous consumption through upward social comparison. It is concluded that the intensity of college students’ use of social networking sites can affect their conspicuous consumption behavior through upward social comparison, and this relationship is moderated by optimism. The results of the study help to reveal the influence of SNS (social networking site) use behavior on conspicuous consumption and its mechanism of action and have implications for reducing the negative impact of conspicuous consumption on college students.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/9/732use of social networking sitesconspicuous consumptionupward social comparisonoptimismcollege students |
| spellingShingle | Lei Xu Zhaoxizi Lu Lingyun Wang Jiwen Chen Lan Tian Shuangshuang Cai Shun Peng The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model Behavioral Sciences use of social networking sites conspicuous consumption upward social comparison optimism college students |
| title | The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model |
| title_full | The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model |
| title_short | The Effect of Social Network Use on Chinese College Students’ Conspicuous Consumption: A Moderated Mediation Model |
| title_sort | effect of social network use on chinese college students conspicuous consumption a moderated mediation model |
| topic | use of social networking sites conspicuous consumption upward social comparison optimism college students |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/9/732 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leixu theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT zhaoxizilu theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT lingyunwang theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT jiwenchen theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT lantian theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT shuangshuangcai theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT shunpeng theeffectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT leixu effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT zhaoxizilu effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT lingyunwang effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT jiwenchen effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT lantian effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT shuangshuangcai effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel AT shunpeng effectofsocialnetworkuseonchinesecollegestudentsconspicuousconsumptionamoderatedmediationmodel |