Conspicuous Consumption on Social Media: A Quantitatıve Study on Unıversity Students’ Perceptions of Influencers

Authors : Demet Yalçın, Mustafa Koçer

Pages : 441-462

Doi:10.17680/erciyesiletisim.1636355

View : 148 | Download : 165

Publication Date : 2025-07-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The conspicuous consumption tendencies frequently encountered at weddings and home visits have become easily visible at any time, without the limitations of time and space, thanks to social media platforms. Young people who actively use social media are increasingly exposed to content related to conspicuous consumption through the globalized internet networks. Influencers are among the primary individuals who contribute to the widespread dissemination of this consumption style in such environments. In this context, examining the perceptions of conspicuous consumption and influencers among young people who are active on social media emerges as a significant research topic for a better understanding of contemporary consumption trends. This study aims to identify university students’ perceptions of influencers, their tendencies toward conspicuous consumption, their motivations for following influencers, and the extent to which they aspire to emulate them. As part of the research, a survey was conducted with 732 university students from seven geographical regions across Türkiye. The survey was designed to measure undergraduate students’ perceptions of influencers and conspicuous consumption. The participants scored an average of 42.55 (SD = 18.56) out of a possible range of 22 to 110. When converted to a scale of 1 to 5, this corresponds to an average score of 1.93. Since this average is lower than 2.50, it can be concluded that the participants’ level of influence by influencers is below average. Additionally, the study found that participants’ levels of trust in influencers, tendencies toward conspicuous consumption, motivations for following influencers, and aspirations to emulate them were all below average across all items.
Keywords : Sosyal Medya, Influencer, Gösterişçi Tüketim, Lisans Öğrencileri

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