The Instagram paradox: a mediation analysis of consumer orientations, psychological, cognitive and deep structure dimensions & Instagram motivations shaping purchase intention of sustainable apparel in India

Introduction This study examines how distinctive consumer orientations - Thrifty, Frugal, Moral, and Shopper influence sustainable apparel purchase intention among Indian Instagram users. Grounded in Uses and Gratifications theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the study examines the parallel mediating roles played by inherent psychological, cognitive and deep structures and external stimuli of Instagram motivation in rendering consumer orientation to purchase intention, thus presenting an empirical justification for the ‘Instagram Paradox’ in the framework of sustainable fashion. Methods A quantitative survey was administered to 285 Instagram users and followers of sustainable apparel brands in India, recruited via snowball sampling. Factor Analyses was conducted to validate constructs spanning consumer orientation, psychological, cognitive and deep structure dimensions, Instagram motivations, and purchase intention. Results K-means cluster analysis identified four distinct consumer orientation segments. Four parallel mediation models tested whether psychological, cognitive and deep structure dimensions along with Instagram motivation mediated the relationship between each consumer orientation and purchase intention. Discussion Across all the mediation models, psychological, cognitive and deep structure constructs emerged as the sole significant mediator, while Instagram motivation consistently failed to generate a significant indirect effect on purchase intention in any model, constituting the central empirical evidence for the Instagram Paradox.