| Keywords [eng] |
status consumption, symbolic capital, social recognition, social media, self-disclosure, purchase intention, endorser reputation, brand trust, social comparison, peer approval, status-signalling consumption |
| Abstract [eng] |
This Master’s thesis examines how expecting a change in symbolic capital affects consumers’ intentions to buy high-status products when they share about themselves on social media. The research assumes that status-signalling consumption depends not just on product usefulness, but also on social meanings, recognition motives, and trust, which are especially noticeable online. This thesis investigates how anticipated changes in symbolic capital affect individuals’ purchase intentions, particularly in social media environments where self-presentation and peer feedback are prominent. To address this objective, the study: (1) examines status consumption and the primary factors influencing status-oriented intentions, (2) analyzes symbolic capital and its significance within social media contexts, (3) investigates self-disclosure as a form of online visibility linked to symbolic value, (4) theoretically substantiates the relationships among symbolic expectations, disclosure practices, and intention formation, (5) develops a research model and hypotheses, (6) selects an appropriate quantitative methodology, (7) collects and analyzes empirical data, and (8) presents conclusions, practical implications, and study limitations. The thesis is structured in three parts. The first section reviews literature on status consumption, symbolic capital - emphasizing recognition and social validation - and the role of social media in amplifying visibility and evaluation. The theoretical discussion argues that symbolic capital gains significance only when recognized by others and posits that self-disclosure enhances opportunities for feedback, comparison, and impression management, thereby potentially reinforcing status- oriented consumption motives. The empirical part uses survey data (N = 236) to assess the suggested research model. Regression- based techniques, such as mediation and moderation analyses using the PROCESS macro, were applied in SPSS to evaluate conditional associations, indirect mechanisms, and direct effects among the main constructs. Endorser-related signals, perceived symbolic capital, brand trust, a desire for social recognition, self-disclosure, and purchase intention are all included in the model. The empirical findings show a strong correlation between symbolic and social processes and purchasing intention in status-signaling situations. While brand trust is a crucial explanatory mechanism through which symbolic meanings impact purchase intentions, endorser-related signals and perceived symbolic capital enhance the formation of intentions. However, this sample did not demonstrate moderating effects linked to social media characteristics, suggesting that the association between purchase intention and recognition motives remained constant under The main theoretical and empirical findings are summarized in the conclusion and practical implications section, which also shows how these findings help to understand status-oriented consumer behavior in digital contexts. Scientific research also identifies sample and methodological constraints and offers recommendations for further research. |
