The Effect of Parasocial Relationships with Social Media Influencers and Algorithmic Awareness on Conspicuous Consumption Tendencies among High School Students
Abstract
In the digital age, social media has fundamentally transformed young people's social relationships, identity development, and consumption behaviors. The interactive nature of digital environments has made adolescents' online experiences increasingly complex. At the same time, the growing prominence of the concept of parasocial relationships has expanded scholarly interest in understanding young people's interactions with social media influencers. The present study examined high school students' levels of parasocial relationships, algorithmic awareness, and conspicuous consumption tendencies, investi gated the relationships among these variables, and evaluated the predictive effects of parasocial relationships and algorithmic awareness on conspicuous consumption tendencies. The study employed a quantitative correlational survey design. The sample consisted of 337 high school students enrolled in various types of high schools in the province of Bursa during the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Parasocial Interaction Scale, the Algorithmic Media Content Awareness Scale, and the Conspicuous Consumption Tendencies Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple linear regression analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that students’ levels of parasocial relationships and conspicuous consumption tendencies are moderate, while their levels of algorithmic awareness are moderate-to-high. The correlation analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship was found between parasocial relationships and conspicuous consumption tendencies. Regression analysis further revealed that parasocial relationships were found to significantly predict conspicuous consumption tendencies, whereas algorithmic awareness, despite showing a statistically significant correlation, was not found to be a predictive variable. Furthermore, it was found that levels of algorithmic awareness differed significantly depending on the type of high school. The findings highlight the decisive role of parasocial relationships in explaining young people’s consumption behaviors and indicate that emotional attachment processes should also be taken into account in media literacy studies.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
Ethical Statement
Thanks
References
- Akçalı, İ. & Hacıoğlu, G. (2022). The effect of social media usage frequency on consumers’ compulsive buying behavior: the mediating role of ostentatious consumption and materialism. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 8 (1), 103-127. DOI: 10.15659/patu.8.1.065 Akdeniz, P. C., & Uyar, K. (2021). The role of parasocial interaction with social media influencers in consumers’ purchase intentions. Erciyes Academy, 35(4), 1669–1688. https://doi.org/10.48070/erciyesakademi.1028374 Aksoy, M. (2024). A sociological analysis of adolescents’ behavior in following social media influencers Journal of Sociological Research, 27(2), 62-93. https://doi.org/10.18490/sosars.1575256
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Information Systems (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Burcu Uysal
*
0009-0005-3432-5967
Türkiye
Publication Date
August 1, 2026
Submission Date
July 4, 2026
Acceptance Date
July 30, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 3 Number: 2