Does exposure to celebrity posts on Facebook induce materialism? The effect of celebrity importance and self-complexity on materialism

• Main Author: Jitmahanirun, Natpapat
• Other Authors: Wan Ching
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology::Experimental psychology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66601
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The study examines the effect of an external factor (i.e. celebrity posts on social media), internal factors (i.e. celebrity importance and self-complexity) and their interaction on materialism. Social comparison was speculated to be one possible mechanism that mediates the effect of exposure to media figures on materialistic orientation. The results found no direct effect of exposure to celebrity posts on Facebook on materialism. However, we found an interplay between celebrity influence and the degree to which an individual perceives the celebrity as important to the self, suggesting a specific effect when there is a person-situation match. In addition, social comparison was found to positively correlate with materialism. Surprisingly, higher self-complexity did not make people become more resistant to the effect of celebrity posts on Facebook, regardless of the degree of celebrity importance. Results and implications are discussed along with the suggestions for future direction.