Passive social network site usage and online compulsive buying tendency among female undergraduate students: a multiple mediation model of self-esteem and materialism

Research has shown that passive social network site (SNS) usage is a risk factor for online compulsive buying tendency among female undergraduate students. The mediation processes behind this association, however, are not well understood. Coming from a motivational psychology perspective, the current study examined the mediating roles of self-esteem (internal need) and materialism (external motivation) in the association between passive SNS usage and online compulsive buying tendency. A sample of 831 female undergraduate students (mean age = 20.17 years, SD = 1.46) was recruited, and the passive SNS usage scale, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the materialism scale, and the online compulsive buying tendency scale were used for data collection. After controlling the frequency of and amount spent on online purchases, the results indicated that: (1) passive SNS usage, self-esteem, materialism and online compulsive buying tendency were significantly correlated with each other; (2) passive SNS usage was significantly positively associated with online compulsive buying tendency; (3) self-esteem and materialism partially mediated this association. Specifically, the mediation effect included the parallel mediation effect of self-esteem and materialism, as well as the sequential mediation effect of self-esteem and materialism. These findings highlight the mechanisms which can help explain how passive SNS usage relates to online compulsive buying tendency among female undergraduate students.