Social Networking Site Use and Materialistic Values Among Youth: The Safeguarding Role of the Parent-Child Relationship and Self-Regulation

Abstract

Social networking sites (SNSs) have become common avenues for young people to share their life experience with peers, including their consumption experience. Although prior research on the media effects of SNSs has shown how online communication on SNSs promotes various volitional behaviors, current understanding is limited with respect to how young people’s use of SNSs is associated with their consumption experience and materialistic values. This study examines how SNS use related to consumption experience is associated with materialistic values among young adults and how their social perceptions mediate such association. This investigation also proposes that young adults’ self-regulation and close relationships with parents would buffer the impact of SNS use. Survey data gathered from 903 youths in Singapore lend strong empirical support to the hypotheses proposed. Implications are discussed.

Keywords

social network site materialism self-regulation parent-child relationship social perception

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