Compulsive Buying in the Social Media Era: A Personality-centered Perspective

Objective: To examine the influence of the Big Five personality traits on compulsive buying behavior (CBB) and investigate the mediating role of social media addiction (SMA). Method: Data were collected from 301 compulsive textile apparel shoppers in Coimbatore. The relationships among the Big Five personality traits, SMA, and CBB were analyzed to examine the mediating effect of SMA. Findings: The results revealed that SMA mediates the relationship between personality traits and CBB. Neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience showed significant positive effects on CBB through SMA, whereas conscientiousness and agreeableness had no significant effect. Practical Implications: The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and marketers in understanding how personality traits and social media addiction influence compulsive buying behavior. Originality/Value: This study extends the literature by demonstrating the mediating role of social media addiction in the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and compulsive buying behavior among textile apparel shoppers.