The impact of social media on consumer boycotts: Mediating roles of animosity, behavioral control, and efficacy

The study aims to investigate the impact of social media on consumer boycott behavior, focusing on how social media usage influences consumer intentions to participate in boycotts. It explores the mediating roles of consumer animosity, perceived behavioral control, and perceived efficacy in shaping boycott intentions. 530 surveys were conducted with consumers who have engaged in or are aware of boycotts against brands perceived to support controversial political issues. The data were analyzed by structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between social media usage, consumer animosity, perceived behavioral control, perceived efficacy, and boycott intentions. The results indicate that social media significantly influences consumer boycott intentions. Higher levels of social media usage enhance perceived behavioral control and perceived efficacy, which in turn increase the likelihood of participating in boycotts. Consumer animosity also plays a crucial role in mediating the relationship between social media usage and boycott intentions. This study makes a novel contribution by integrating social media usage into the TPB framework and offering insights into the dynamics of modern consumer activism. It highlights social media's crucial role in shaping consumer behavior and provides practical guidelines for managing and leveraging boycott activities in the digital age.