The effect of social media fatigue on compulsive buying

Mengyi Li and Qinhai Ma

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2025, vol. 44, issue 7, 1429-1445

Abstract: Behavioural research regarding the dark side of social media warrants greater attention. Based on stress coping theory, this study explores the impact of social media fatigue on compulsive buying and, more specifically, examines the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating effect of social media self-efficacy on that relationship. Social media fatigue refers to users’ negative experiences when using social media. Compulsive buying is repetitive buying in response to adverse events. Self-reported questionnaires are used to collect data; the sample is mainly young people. The findings of utilising SPSS23.0 and Amos21.0 to analyse are that social media fatigue significantly impacts loneliness and compulsive buying. Loneliness positively affects compulsive buying and partially mediates the influence of social media fatigue on compulsive buying. Social media self-efficacy attenuates the effect of social media fatigue on loneliness. The study theoretically expands research on the impact of social media fatigue and refines research on the factors of problematic technology use in compulsive buying, thereby increasing knowledge of the dark side of social media; practically, it provides a new perspective for recognising and evaluating the negative behavioural consequences of social media fatigue, while also offering new insights for controlling compulsive buying in the social media environment.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2024.2358359

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