Home / Regular Issue / JSSH Vol. 30 (4) Dec. 2022 / JSSH-8495-2021

 

Materialism and Big-Five Personality Traits Shaping Low-Income University Students’ Compulsive Online-Buying Behavior

Nik Ahmad Sufian Burhan, J. S. Keshminder, Mohamad Fazli Sabri, Fauzilah Salleh, Asyraf Afthanorhan and Chan Joey

Pertanika Journal of Social Science and Humanities, Volume 30, Issue 4, December 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.30.4.24

Keywords: B40 income group, big-five traits, compulsive buying behavior, low-income household, materialism

Published on: 15 December 2022

Despite the immense benefits of online shopping in modern societies, it has also generated some concern about addiction among consumers, particularly the unemployed youth from low-income families. Thus, by conducting a path analysis on quantitative survey data of randomly sampled 439 respondents, this study examines the influence of materialistic behavior and the Big-Five personality traits on the compulsive online-buying behavior of university students from low-income families (the B40 income group). Among the five personality traits, an increase in neuroticism scores, openness to experiences, and conscientiousness was observed to raise the level of materialism significantly. Similarly, materialism, neuroticism, and extraversion exhibited a direct positive influence on the compulsive online-buying behavior of the students. These findings reiterate that individuals with higher neuroticism tend to display less self-regulation or emotion control. In contrast, more extroverted individuals tend to be engrossed with the interactive on-screen platform, which cultivates their obsession with online shopping. Importantly, the mediation test showed that materialistic behavior significantly mediates the effects of neuroticism, openness to experience, and conscientiousness on compulsive buying. Overall, our findings projected neuroticism as dominating due to its direct and indirect influence on compulsive online-buying behavior in the path model.

  • Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Pallesen, S., Bilder, R. M., Torsheim, T., & Aboujaoude, E. (2015). The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: Reliability and validity of a brief screening test. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1374. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.201

  • Aw, E. C. X., Chuah, S. H. W., Sabri, M. F., & Basha, N. K. (2021). Go loud or go home? How power distance belief influences the effect of brand prominence on luxury goods purchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58, 102288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102288

  • Awang, Z. (2012). A handbook on structural equation modeling using AMOS. Universiti Teknologi MARA Publication.

  • Benmoyal-Bouzaglo, S., & Moschis, G. P. (2010). Effects of family structure and socialization on materialism: A life course study in France. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 18(1), 53-70. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679180104

  • Bhatia, V. (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. https://doi.org/10.1080/20932685.2018.1544502

  • Burhan, N. A. S., Mohamad, M. R., Kurniawan, Y., & Sidek, A. H. (2014). National intelligence, basic human needs, and their effect on economic growth. Intelligence, 44, 103-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2014.03.007

  • Burhan, N. A. S., Salleh, F., & Burhan, N. M. G. (2015). National intelligence and private health expenditure: Do high IQ societies spend more on health insurance? Intelligence, 52, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2015.06.005

  • Chaplin, L. N., & John, D. R. (2010). Interpersonal influences on adolescent materialism: A new look at the role of parents and peers. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 20(2), 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2010.02.002

  • Claes, L., & Müller, A. (2017). Resisting temptation: Is compulsive buying an expression of personality deficits? Current Addiction Reports, 4(3), 237-245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-017-0152-0

  • Claes, L., Müller, A., & Luyckx, K. (2016). Compulsive buying and hoarding as identity substitutes: The role of materialistic value endorsement and depression. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 68, 65-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.04.005

  • Cushman, K. (2007). Facing the culture shock of college: First generations college students talk about identity, class and what helps them succeed. Educational Leadership, 64(7), 44-47.

  • Dittmar, H. (2005). Compulsive buying–A growing concern? An examination of gender, age, and endorsement of materialistic values as predictors. British Journal of Psychology, 96(4), 467-491. https://doi.org/10.1348/000712605X53533

  • Ergin, E. A. (2010). Compulsive buying behavior tendencies: The case of Turkish consumers. African Journal of Business Management, 4(3), 333-338.

  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312

  • Garðarsdóttir, R. B., & Dittmar, H. (2012). The relationship of materialism to debt and financial well-being: The case of Iceland’s perceived prosperity. Journal of Economic Psychology, 33(3), 471-481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2011.12.008

  • George, B. (2002). The relationship between lottery ticket and scratch‐card buying behaviour, personality and other compulsive behaviours. Journal of Consumer Behaviour: An International Research Review, 2(1), 7-22. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.86

  • Gerlitz, J.-Y., & Schupp, J. (2005). Zur Erhebung der Big-Five-basierten Persönlichkeitsmerkmale im SOEP [The measurement of the Big Five personality traits in the SOEP]. DIW Berlin. https://www.diw.de/documents/publicationen/73/43490/rn4.pdf

  • Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

  • Harnish, R. J., & Bridges, K. R. (2015). Compulsive buying: The role of irrational beliefs, materialism, and narcissism. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 33(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0197-0

  • Harnish, R. J., Bridges, K. R., Gump, J. T., & Carson, A. E. (2019). The maladaptive pursuit of consumption: The impact of materialism, pain of paying, social anxiety, social support, and loneliness on compulsive buying. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17(6), 1401-1416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-9883-y

  • Hayhoe, C. R., Leach, L. J., Turner, P. R., Bruin, M. J., & Lawrence, F. C. (2000). Differences in spending habits and credit use of college students. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 34(1), 113-133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.2000.tb00087.x

  • Islam, T., Sheikh, Z., Hameed, Z., Khan, I. U., & Azam, R. I. (2018). Social comparison, materialism, and compulsive buying based on stimulus-response-model: A comparative study among adolescents and young adults. Young Consumers, 19(1), 19-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-07-2017-00713

  • Islam, T., Wei, J., Sheikh, Z., Hameed, Z., & Azam, R. I. (2017). Determinants of compulsive buying behavior among young adults: The mediating role of materialism. Journal of Adolescence, 61, 117-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-07-2017-00713

  • John, O. P., Donahue, E. M., & Kentle, R. L. (1991). The big five inventory—Versions 4a and 54. Institute of Personality and Social Research, University of California.

  • Kayiş, A. R., Satici, S. A., Yilmaz, M. F., Şimşek, D., Ceyhan, E., & Bakioğlu, F. (2016). Big five-personality trait and internet addiction: A meta-analytic review. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 35-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.012

  • Kuss, D. J., Van Rooij, A. J., Shorter, G. W., Griffiths, M. D., & van de Mheen, D. (2013). Internet addiction in adolescents: Prevalence and risk factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(5), 1987-1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.04.002

  • Lissitsa, S., & Kol, O. (2016). Generation X vs. Generation Y – A decade of online shopping. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 31, 304-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.04.015

  • Magli, A. S., Sabri, M. F., & Rahim, H. A. (2020). The influence of financial attitude, financial behaviour and self-belief towards financial vulnerability among public employees in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Consumers and Family Economics, 25, 175-193.

  • Manchiraju, S., Sadachar, A., & Ridgway, J. L. (2017). The compulsive online shopping scale (COSS): development and validation using panel data. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 15(1), 209-223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-016-9662-6

  • Mestre-Bach, G., Steward, T., Jiménez-Murcia, S., & Fernández-Aranda, F. (2017). Differences and similarities between compulsive buying and other addictive behaviors. Current Addiction Reports, 4(3), 228-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-017-0153-z

  • Mikolajczak‐Degrauwe, K., Brengman, M., Wauters, B., & Rossi, G. (2012). Does personality affect compulsive buying? An application of the big five personality model. In G. Rossi (Ed.), Psychology: Selected papers (pp. 131-144). InTech.

  • Mokhtar, N., Sabri, M. F., & Ho, C. S. F. (2020). Financial capability and differences in age and ethnicity. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(10), 1081-1091.

  • Moulding, R., Duong, A., Nedeljkovic, M., & Kyrios, M. (2017). Do you think that money can buy happiness? A review of the role of mood, materialism, self, and cognitions in compulsive buying. Current Addiction Reports, 4(3), 254-261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-017-0154-y

  • Mowen, J. (2000). The 3M model of motivation and personality: Theory and empirical applications to consumer behaviour. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

  • Müller, A., Claes, L., Georgiadou, E., Möllenkamp, M., Voth, E. M., Faber, R. J., Mitchell, J. E., & de Zwaan, M. (2014). Is compulsive buying related to materialism, depression or temperament? Findings from a sample of treatment-seeking patients with CB. Psychiatry Research, 216(1), 103-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2014.01.012

  • Müller, A., Mitchell, J. E., Peterson, L. A., Faber, R. J., Steffen, K. J., Crosby, R. D., & Claes, L. (2011). Depression, materialism, and excessive Internet use in relation to compulsive buying. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 52(4), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2010.09.001

  • Otero-López, J. M., & Pol, E. V. (2013). Compulsive buying and the Five Factor Model of personality: A facet analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 55(5), 585-590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.05.005

  • Otero-López, J. M., & Villardefrancos, E. (2013). Five-Factor Model personality traits, materialism, and excessive buying: A mediational analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 54(6), 767-772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.12.013

  • Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879

  • Pradhan, D., Israel, D., & Jena, A. K. (2018). Materialism and compulsive buying behaviour: The role of consumer credit card use and impulse buying. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 30(5), 1239-1258. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-08-2017-0164

  • Richins, M. L. (2004). The material values scale: Measurement properties and development of a short form. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1), 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1086/383436

  • Richins, M. L., & Dawson, S. (1992). A consumer values orientation for materialism and its measurement: Scale development and validation. Journal of Consumer Research, 19(3), 303-316. https://doi.org/10.1086/209304

  • Ridgway, N. M., Kukar-Kinney, M., & Monroe, K. B. (2008). An expanded conceptualization and a new measure of compulsive buying. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(4), 622-639. https://doi.org/10.1086/591108

  • Rose, P. (2007). Mediators of the association between narcissism and compulsive buying: The roles of materialism and impulse control. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21(4), 576-581. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-164X.21.4.576

  • Sabri, M. F., Aw, E. C.-Xi, Rahim, H. A., Burhan, N. A. S., Othman, M. A., & Simanjuntak, M. (2021a). Financial literacy, behavior and vulnerability among Malaysian households: Does gender matter? International Journal of Economics & Management, 15(2), 241-256.

  • Sabri, M. F., Dass, T. M., Burhan, N. A. S., Wahab, H. A. R. A., Wijekoon, R., & Simanjuntak, M. (2021b). Determinants of life satisfaction among female-headed households in Malaysia. International Journal of Business and Society, 22(1), 276-295.

  • Sabri, M. F., Wijekoon, R., Burhan, N. A. S., Rahim, H. A., Othman, M. A., & Magli, A. S. (2022). The antecedents of financial health in Malaysia with the mediating effect of financial vulnerability. Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics, 28, 100-129.

  • Sabri, M. F., Wijekoon, R., & Rahim, H. (2020). The influence of money attitude, financial practices, self-efficacy and emotion coping on employees’ financial well-being. Management Science Letters, 10(4), 889-900. http://dx.doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2019.10.007

  • Sabri, M. F., & Zakaria, N. F. (2015). Financial well-being among young employees in Malaysia. In Z. Copur (Ed.), Handbook of research on behavioral finance and investment strategies: Decision making in the financial industry (pp. 221-235). IGI Global.

  • Sereetrakul, W., Wongveeravuti, S., & Likitapiwat, T. (2013). Gender differences in saving and spending behaviours of Thai students. Research in Education, 90(1), 68-81. https://doi.org/10.7227/RIE.90.1.

  • Shapira, N. A., Lessig, M. C., Goldsmith, T. D., Szabo, S. T., Lazoritz, M., Gold, M. S., & Stein, D. J. (2003). Problematic internet use: Proposed classification and diagnostic criteria. Depression and Anxiety, 17(4), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.10094

  • Sharpe, J., & Ramanaiah, N. V. (1999). Materialism and the five-factor model of personality. Psychological Reports, 85(1), 327-330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.12.013

  • Sulaiman, N. F. C., Akhir, N. H. M., Hussain, N. E., Jamin, R. M., & Ramli, N. H. (2020). Data on the impact of socioeconomic status on academic achievement among students in Malaysian public universities. Data in Brief, 31, 106018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.106018

  • Tarka, P. (2020). Influence of materialism on compulsive buying behavior: General similarities and differences related to studies on young adult consumers in Poland and US. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 32(3), 243-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/08961530.2019.1695240

  • Thompson, E. R., & Prendergast, G. P. (2015). The influence of trait affect and the five-factor personality model on impulse buying. Personality and Individual Differences, 76, 216-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.12.025

  • Ukwayi, J. K., Eja, O. F., & Unwanede, C. C. (2012). Peer pressure and tobacco smoking among undergraduate students of the University of Calabar, Cross River State. Higher Education Studies, 2(3), 92-101.

  • Wang, C. C., & Yang, H. W. (2008). Passion for online shopping: The influence of personality and compulsive buying. Social Behavior and Personality, 36(5), 693-706. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2008.36.5.693

  • Watson, D. C. (2014). Materialism: Profiles of agreeableness and neuroticism. Personality and Individual Differences, 56, 197-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.09.014

  • Yüksel-Şahin, F. (2015). Predicting peer pressure levels among Turkish adolescents. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 1807-1812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.413

  • Zerach, G. (2016). The mediating role of emptiness and materialism in the association between pathological narcissism and compulsive buying. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(4), 424-437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-015-9591-9