How Conspicuous Consumption Affects Well-being: the Mediating Role of Self-expression and Opinion Leadership, Complemented by Materialism, Self-esteem, and Self-concept Clarity
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: The study investigated the effects of role-relaxed consumption, status consumption and conspicuous consumption on consumer well-being (hedonic and eudaimonic). A conceptual framework was proposed, contending that conspicuous consumption behaviours that included 1. role-relaxed (RRXC), 2. Status (STAT), and 3. conspicuous consumption (CONS) enable self-expression (SEFP). This will, in turn, make their social influence stronger, making them opinion leaders (OPLD). This social influence, backed by self-expression, ends up increasing their hedonic (HDWB) and eudaimonic (EUWB) well-being. We also contend that materialism (MAT), self-esteem (SEST), and self-concept clarity (SFCC) moderate the effect of role-relaxed, status, and conspicuous consumption on opinion leadership. In a way, higher levels of materialism, self-concept clarity, and self-esteem may strengthen these relationships, as materialism may intensify the status and symbolic value, self-esteem may strengthen the consumers’ confidence in influencing others, and self-concept clarity provides a consistent basis to express the consumers’ role as opinion leaders. Design/ methodology/ approach: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was used to test the proposed conceptual model empirically. The data were obtained by a structured questionnaire and analysed by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Direct effects, specific indirect effects and moderated mediation relationships were analysed to get a comprehensive picture of the consumption–well-being mechanism. Findings: The Results indicated that Self-expression is positively related to all three forms of consumption and is strongly but negatively related to opinion leadership; this may imply that in Pakistan, where consumption is a part of social relationships and a way of expressing symbolically one's identity, consumers might be more inclined to use consumption to convey their identity and self-concept than to shape the consumption of others. This shapes consumption to be more of a self-oriented consumption motive rather than other-oriented as an opinion leader. The effects of opinion leadership are positive on hedonic well-being, whereas for eudaimonic well-being, it remained insignificant. The mediation analysis showed a significant negative serial mediation of self-expression and then opinion leaders between all three dimensions of conspicuous consumption and hedonic well-being. This indicated that the prospect of positive hedonic outcomes of consumption is not necessarily translated into greater hedonic well-being when accompanied by decreased opinion-leadership orientation in the consumption process. Moderation results suggested that self-concept clarity (SFCC) positively and significantly complements the effect of Status and conspicuous consumption on opinion leaders. Materialism positively complements the effect of RRXC on OPLD, whereas self-esteem strengthens the nexus between STAT and OPLD. The negative complementarity of SEST and SFCC in the effect of RRXC on OPLD. The moderating effect of MAT on the CONS-OPLD nexus also seems to be negative and significant. This indicates that higher self-esteem and clearer self-concept may help to lessen the need to communicate or validate the self through consumption, as well as the need to use consumption as a way to influence others socially. This may result in a stronger sense of self-confidence and self-identity, which could reduce the association between self-oriented consumption and opinion leadership within the context of Pakistani society where consumption can have strong social and symbolic meanings. The same applies to the moderating effect of materialism (MAT), indicating that highly materialistic consumers may engage in conspicuous consumption mostly as a way to signal status and possessions, thus enhancing their consumption in a self-oriented way rather than one based on knowledge or expertise. Originality/value: This research is an extension of the study of consumer wellbeing and symbolic consumption because it combines the three types of consumption with hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing in one research framework. It shows that the psychological gains related to consumption are mainly eudaimonic and socially generated. The study further highlights the role of opinion leadership in the social process of consumption in promoting hedonic well-being and finds that it depends on consumers' psychological traits. Keywords: Status consumption, Role relaxed consumption, conspicuous consumption, Hedonic well-being, Eudaimonic well-being, Opinion Leader.
Source: Perspectives in Social Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Marketing
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221614675
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