Doom Spending Behaviour Among the Digital Generation: The Role of Financial Literacy and Social Media Interaction

The rise of doom spending—impulsive buying driven by emotional distress, anxiety, and uncertainty—has become a growing concern in the post-pandemic digital era, particularly among the younger generation. This study examines the impact of financial literacy and social media interaction on doom spending behaviour among digital natives, specifically university students in Indonesia aged 17–25. Utilizing a quantitative causal approach and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS- SEM), the study analyses data collected from 66 respondents using purposive sampling. The results reveal that financial literacy has no significant effect on doom spending, while social media interaction has a substantial and statistically significant impact. These findings suggest that exposure to curated online content, influencer marketing, and algorithm-driven advertisements plays a dominant role in triggering unplanned and emotionally motivated consumption.