While much has been reported about the negative consequences of the pervasive presence of information and communications technologies in consumers’ everyday lives, the present research enriches the literature on problematic internet use by applying the cognitive-behavioral model in a consumer context, creating a bridge between marketing and psychology research, with novel insights and directions for future research. By means of a moderated mediation model tested on hundreds of consumers, the authors explore whether problematic internet use influences well-being through the mediation of prosocial consumer behavior and the moderation of online-social support. The results show that problematic internet use can indirectly affect individual well-being by affecting consumer choice. Managerial and theoretical implications are addressed.
AkninL.B.Barrington-LeighC.P.DunnE.W.HelliwellJ.F.BurnsJ.Biswas-DienerR.NortonM.I. (2013), “Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104 (4), 635–52.
2.
AndersonJ.C.GerbingD.W. (1988), “Structural Equation Modeling in Practice: A Review and Recommended Two-Step Approach,” Psychological Bulletin, 103 (3), 411–23.
3.
AndorferV.A.LiebeU. (2012), “Research on Fair Trade Consumption—A Review,” Journal of Business Ethics, 106 (4), 415–35.
4.
Anisman-RazinM.LevontinL. (2020), “Prosocial Behavior Reframed: How Consumer Mindsets Shape Dependency-Oriented Versus Autonomy-Oriented Helping,” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 5 (1), 95–105.
5.
ArnettJ.J. (2000), “Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development from the Late Teens Through the Twenties,” American Psychologist, 55 (5), 469–80.
6.
ArnettJ.J. (2018), “Conceptual Foundations of Emerging Adulthood,” in Emerging Adulthood and Higher Education, MurrayJ.L.ArnettJ.J., eds. Routledge, 11–24.
7.
ArnettJ.J.MitraD. (2020), “Are the Features of Emerging Adulthood Developmentally Distinctive? A Comparison of Ages 18–60 in the United States,” Emerging Adulthood, 8 (5), 412–19.
8.
AslanbayY.AslanbayM.ÇobanoğluE. (2009), “Internet Addiction Among Turkish Young Consumers,” Young Consumers, 10 (1), 60–70.
9.
BassoF.BouilléJ.TroivilleJ. (2021), “Are You Up for Fair-Trade Products? Vertical Dimension as a Metaphorical Representation of Virtuous Consumption,” Journal of Business Research, 135, 508–18.
10.
BauerJ.J.GrahamL.E.LauberE.A.LynchB.P. (2019), “What Growth Sounds Like: Redemption, Self-Improvement, and Eudaimonic Growth Across Different Life Narratives in Relation to Well-Being,” Journal of Personality, 87 (3), 546–65.
11.
BeardK.W.WolfE.M. (2001), “Modification in the Proposed Diagnostic Criteria for Internet Addiction,” CyberPsychology & Behavior, 4 (3), 377–83.
12.
BenvenutiM.GiovagnoliS.KeepM.MazzoniE.SelleriP. (2020), “The Onlife in Emerging Adulthood: Experimentation, Exploration, and Change in the Digital Era,” in Recent Advances in Digital Media Impacts on Identity, Sexuality, and Relationships, WrightM.F., ed. IGI Global, 241–64.
13.
BerkL. (2017), Development Through the Lifespan. Pearson.
14.
Berki-KissD.MenradK. (2022), “Ethical Consumption: Influencing Factors of Consumer’s Intention to Purchase Fairtrade Roses,” Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy, 2, 100008.
15.
BhatiaV. (2019), “Impact of Fashion Interest, Materialism and Internet Addiction on E-Compulsive Buying Behaviour of Apparel,” Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 10 (1), 66–80.
16.
BinderM.BlankenbergA.K. (2017), “Green Lifestyles and Subjective Well-Being: More About Self-Image Than Actual Behavior?” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 137, 304–23.
17.
BridgesE.FlorsheimR. (2008), “Hedonic and Utilitarian Shopping Goals: The Online Experience,” Journal of Business Research, 61 (4), 309–14.
18.
BuonomoI.CiprianiI.PipernoS.SaddiI.FiorilliC. (2015), “Internet and Socialization How Internet Use Influences Online and Offline Relationships,” Anthropological Researches and Studies, 1 (5), 3–10.
19.
BurkauskasJ.Gecaite-StoncieneJ.DemetrovicsZ.GriffithsM.D.KirályO. (2022), “Prevalence of Problematic Internet Use During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic,” Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 46, 101179.
20.
Cano MurilloD.E.KangJ.YoonS. (2016), “Factors Influencing Pro-Social Consumer Behavior Through Non-Profit Organizations,” Internet Research, 26 (3), 626–43.
21.
CaplanS.E. (2010), “Theory and Measurement of Generalized Problematic Internet Use: A Two-Step Approach,” Computers in Human Behavior, 26 (5), 1089–97.
22.
CavanaughL.A.BettmanJ.R.LuceM.F. (2015), “Feeling Love and Doing More for Distant Others: Specific Positive Emotions Differentially Affect Prosocial Consumption,” Journal of Marketing Research, 52 (5), 657–73.
23.
ChangC.T.ChuX.Y. (M.) (2020), “The Give and Take of Cause-Related Marketing: Purchasing Cause-Related Products Licenses Consumer Indulgence,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48 (2), 203–21.
24.
ÇikrıkciÖ (2016), “The Effect of Internet Use on Well-Being: Meta-Analysis,” Computers in Human Behavior, 65, 560–66.
25.
CobbS. (1976), “Social Support as a Moderator of Life Stress,” Psychosomatic Medicine, 38 (5), 300–314.
26.
CorijnM.Klijzing,E. eds. (2010), Transitions to Adulthood in Europe. Springer Science & Business Media.
27.
DavisR.A. (2001), “A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of Pathological Internet Use,” Computers in Human Behavior, 17 (2), 187–95.
28.
DhimanN.KumarA. (2023), “What We Know and Don’t Know About Consumer Happiness: Three-Decade Review, Synthesis, and Research Propositions,” Journal of Interactive Marketing, 58 (2-3), 115–35.
29.
DienerE.OishiS.TayL. (2018), “Advances in Subjective Well-Being Research,” Nature Human Behaviour, 2 (4), 253–60.
30.
DienerE.WirtzD.Biswas-DienerR.TovW.Kim-PrietoC.ChoiD.OishiS. (2009), “New Measures of Well-Being,” in Assessing Well-Being, DienerE., ed. Springer, 247–66.
31.
DrenikG. (2022), “A New World of Consumer Behavior Is Emerging,” Forbes (September 22), https://www.forbes.com/sites/garydrenik/2022/09/08/a-new-world-of-consumer-behavior-is-emerging/.
32.
DunnE.W.WhillansA.V.NortonM.I.AkninL.B. (2020), “Prosocial Spending and Buying Time: Money as a Tool for Increasing Subjective Well-Being,” in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 61, GawronskiB., ed. Academic Press, 67–126.
33.
ErfaniS.S.AbedinB. (2018), “Impacts of the Use of Social Network Sites on Users’ Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review,” Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 69 (7), 900–912.
34.
Fairtrade (2022), “What Is Fairtrade’s Impact for Farmers and Workers, and Fair Trade More Broadly? We Looked at Hundreds of Studies to Find Out,” (May 27). https://www.fairtrade.net/news/what-is-fairtrades-impact-for-farmers-and-workers-review-of-studies.
35.
FilhoE.J.M.A.GammaranoI. de J.L.P.BarretoI.A. (2021), “Technology-Driven Consumption: Digital Natives and Immigrants in the Context of Multifunctional Convergence,” Journal of Strategic Marketing, 29 (3), 181–205.
36.
FioravantiG.PrimiC.CasaleS. (2013), “Psychometric Evaluation of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 in an Italian Sample,” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16 (10), 761–66.
37.
FloridiL., ed. (2015), The Onlife Manifesto. Springer.
38.
FloridiL. (2021), “Digital Time: Latency, Real-Time, and the Onlife Experience of Everyday Time,” Philosophy & Technology, 34 (3), 407–12.
39.
FornellC.LarckerD.F. (1981), “Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error,” Journal of Marketing Research, 18 (1), 39–50.
40.
Gómez-LópezM.ViejoC.Ortega-RuizR. (2019), “Well-Being and Romantic Relationships: A Systematic Review in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (13), 2415.
41.
GriffithsM. (2010), “Internet Abuse and Internet Addiction in the Workplace,” Journal of Workplace Learning, 22 (7), 463–72.
42.
HanH.HyunS.S. (2017), “Fostering Customers’ Pro-Environmental Behavior at a Museum,” Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25 (9), 1240–56.
43.
HayesA.F. (2018), Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis Methodology in the Social Sciences. Guilford Press.
44.
HunsakerA.HargittaiE. (2018), “A Review of Internet Use Among Older Adults,” New Media & Society, 20 (10), 3937–54.
45.
JohnstoneM.-L.HooperS. (2016), “Social Influence and Green Consumption Behaviour: A Need for Greater Government Involvement,” Journal of Marketing Management, 32 (9–10), 827–55.
46.
JoiremanJ.DuranteK.M. (2016), “Editorial Overview: Consumer Behavior,” Current Opinion in Psychology, 10, iv–vii.
47.
Kadic-MaglajlicS.Arslanagic-KalajdzicM.MicevskiM.DlacicJ.ZabkarV. (2019), “Being Engaged Is a Good Thing: Understanding Sustainable Consumption Behavior Among Young Adults,” Journal of Business Research, 104, 644–54.
48.
KandellJ.J. (1998), “Internet Addiction on Campus: The Vulnerability of College Students,” CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1 (1), 11–17.
49.
KaptelininV.NardiB.A. (2006), Acting with Technology: Activity Theory and Interaction Design. MIT Press.
50.
KashchukI.IvankinaL. (2015), “Marketing Approach to the Research of Older Adults’ Well-Being,” Procedia–Social and Behavioral Sciences, 214, 911–15.
51.
KasserT. (2014), “Teaching About Values and Goals: Applications of the Circumplex Model to Motivation, Well-Being, and Prosocial Behavior,” Teaching of Psychology, 41 (4), 365–71.
52.
KasserT. (2017), “Living Both Well and Sustainably: A Review of the Literature, with Some Reflections on Future Research, Interventions and Policy,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 375 (2095), 20160369.
53.
KelesB.McCraeN.GrealishA. (2020), “A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents,” International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25 (1), 79–93.
54.
KirkC.P.ChiagourisL.LalaV.ThomasJ.D. E. (2015), “How Do Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants Respond Differently to Interactivity Online?” Journal of Advertising Research, 55 (1), 81–94.
55.
KussD.J.Lopez-FernandezO. (2016), “Internet Addiction and Problematic Internet Use: A Systematic Review of Clinical Research,” World Journal of Psychiatry, 6 (1), 143.
56.
LadhariR.TchetgnaN.M. (2015), “The Influence of Personal Values on Fair Trade Consumption,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 87, 469–77.
57.
Leont’evA.N. (1974), “The Problem of Activity in Psychology,” Soviet Psychology, 13 (2), 4–33.
58.
LimW.M.GuptaS.AggarwalA.PaulJ.SadhnaP. (2021), “How Do Digital Natives Perceive and React Toward Online Advertising? Implications for SMEs,” Journal of Strategic Marketing (published online August 19), https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2021.1941204.
59.
LinX.ZhangD.LiY. (2016), “Delineating the Dimensions of Social Support on Social Networking Sites and Their Effects: A Comparative Model,” Computers in Human Behavior, 58, 421–30.
60.
MaW.HaoJ.L.ZhangC.Di SarnoL.MannisA. (2022), “Evaluating Carbon Emissions of China’s Waste Management Strategies for Building Refurbishment Projects: Contributing to a Circular Economy,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research (published online January 22), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-18188-6.
61.
MeeusA.BeullensK.EggermontS. (2019), “Like Me (Please?): Connecting Online Self-Presentation to Pre- and Early Adolescents’ Self-Esteem,” New Media & Society, 21 (11–12), 2386–403.
62.
MüllerA.JoshiM.ThomasT.A. (2022), “Excessive Shopping on the Internet: Recent Trends in Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder,” Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 44, 101116.
63.
MundelJ.YangJ.WanA. (2022), “Influencer Marketing and Consumer Well-Being: From Source Characteristics to Social Media Anxiety and Addiction,” in The Emerald Handbook of Computer-Mediated Communication and Social Media. Emerald, 323–40.
64.
NelsonL.J. (2003), “Rites of Passage in Emerging Adulthood: Perspectives of Young Mormons,” New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2003 (100), 33–50.
65.
PelozaJ.WhiteK.ShangJ. (2013), “Good and Guilt-Free: The Role of Self-Accountability in Influencing Preferences for Products with Ethical Attributes,” Journal of Marketing, 77 (1), 104–19.
66.
PrenskyM. (2001), “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 2: Do They Really Think Differently?” On the Horizon, 9 (6), 1–6.
67.
RapertM.I.ThyroffA.GraceS.C. (2021), “The Generous Consumer: Interpersonal Generosity and Pro-Social Dispositions as Antecedents to Cause-Related Purchase Intentions,” Journal of Business Research, 132, 838–47.
68.
ReifmanA.ArnettJ.J.ColwellM.J. (2007), “Emerging Adulthood: Theory, Assessment and Application,” Journal of Youth Development, 2 (1), 37–48.
69.
RiedijkL.HarakehZ. (2018), “Imitating the Risky Decision-Making of Peers,” Emerging Adulthood, 6 (4), 255–65.
70.
RossS.M.KapitanS. (2018), “Balancing Self/Collective-Interest: Equity Theory for Prosocial Consumption,” European Journal of Marketing, 52 (3–4), 528–49.
71.
SaracevicS.SchlegelmilchB.B.WuT. (2022), “How Normative Appeals Influence Pro-Environmental Behavior: The Role of Individualism and Collectivism,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 344, 131086.
72.
SeegebarthB.PeyerM.BalderjahnI.WiedmannK.-P. (2016), “The Sustainability Roots of Anticonsumption Lifestyles and Initial Insights Regarding Their Effects on Consumers’ Well-Being,” Journal of Consumer Affairs, 50 (1), 68–99.
73.
SeptiantoF.SungB.SeoY.TugimanN. (2018), “Proud Volunteers: The Role of Self- and Vicarious-Pride in Promoting Volunteering,” Marketing Letters, 29 (4), 501–19.
74.
ShapiraN.A.GoldsmithT.D.KeckP.E.KhoslaU.M.McElroyS.L. (2000), “Psychiatric Features of Individuals with Problematic Internet Use,” Journal of Affective Disorders, 57 (1–3), 267–72.
75.
ShinJ.MattilaA.S. (2021), “Aww Effect: Engaging Consumers in ‘Non-Cute’ Prosocial Initiatives with Cuteness,” Journal of Business Research, 126, 209–20.
76.
SmallD.A.CryderC. (2016), “Prosocial Consumer Behavior,” Current Opinion in Psychology, 10, 107–11.
77.
SoyezK. (2012), “How National Cultural Values Affect Pro-Environmental Consumer Behavior,” International Marketing Review, 29 (6), 623–46.
78.
SunT.WuG. (2011), “Trait Predictors of Online Impulsive Buying Tendency: A Hierarchical Approach,” Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19 (3), 337–46.
79.
SzaboA.AllenJ.StephensC.AlpassF. (2019), “Longitudinal Analysis of the Relationship Between Purposes of Internet Use and Well-Being Among Older Adults,” The Gerontologist, 59 (1), 58–68.
80.
TribleH. (2015), “Emerging Adulthood: Defining the Life Stage and Its Developmental Tasks,” thesis, Department of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University.
81.
Van der WerffE.StegL. (2018), “Spillover Benefits: Emphasizing Different Benefits of Environmental Behavior and Its Effects on Spillover,” Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2347.
82.
VenhoevenL.A.BolderdijkJ.W.StegL. (2020), “Why Going Green Feels Good,” Journal of Environmental Psychology, 71, 101492.
83.
WhiteK.HabibR.DahlD.W. (2020), “A Review and Framework for Thinking About the Drivers of Prosocial Consumer Behavior,” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 5 (1), 2–18.
84.
WrightM.F.LiY. (2011), “The Associations Between Young Adults’ Face-to-Face Prosocial Behaviors and Their Online Prosocial Behaviors,” Computers in Human Behavior, 27 (5), 1959–1962.
85.
YoungK.S. (1998), Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction—and a Winning Strategy for Recovery. John Wiley & Sons.
86.
YoungK.S.RogersR.C. (1998), “The Relationship Between Depression and Internet Addiction,” CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1 (1), 25–28.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
