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Central European Management Journal

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Year 6/2023 
Volume 31 
Issue 2

Effect of consumer self-discrepancy on materialism and impulse buying: the role of subjective well-being

Linas Pupelis
Kaunas University of Technology School of Economics and Business

Beata Seinauskiene
Kaunas University of Technology School of Economics and Business

6/2023 31 (2) Central European Management Journal

DOI 10.1108/CEMJ-12-2021-0154

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to explore how and why self-discrepancy affects materialism and impulsive buying and the extent to which subjective well-being mediates the relationship between self-discrepancy, materialism and impulsive buying.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors have tested the hypothesis with a convenience sample (N 5 434) from Lithuania. Descriptive analysis, principal components analysis (PCA), serial mediation hypothesis tested with model 81 from regression-based path analysis modeling tool PROCESS Macro for IBM® SPSS® Statistics 24.7 statistical software.
Findings – The serial and parallel mediation analysis results indicated that greater self- discrepancy was related to poorer life satisfaction, which was related to greater materialism centrality, which promoted greater impulsive buying. Also, the greater the self-discrepancy, caused more occurrence of negative affect, which relates to increased materialism happiness, which triggers impulsive buying. Self-discrepancy was negatively associated with the frequency of positive affect, which was positively related to materialism, which stimulates
impulsive buying.
Research limitations/implications – The study was dominated by younger respondents. The survey was conducted during the lockdown of the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
Originality/value – There is little empirical evidence to support the reasoning behind why self-discrepancy predicts a higher degree of materialism, which increases impulsive buying. This study suggests the mechanism of how subjective well-being affects relationships of self-discrepancy on materialism and impulsive buying.

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APA style

Pupelis, Linas & Beata Seinauskiene (2023). Effect of consumer self-discrepancy on materialism and impulse buying: the role of subjective well-being. (2023). Effect of consumer self-discrepancy on materialism and impulse buying: the role of subjective well-being. Central European Management Journal, 31(2), 222-240. https://doi.org/10.1108/CEMJ-12-2021-0154 (Original work published 6/2023AD)

MLA style

Pupelis, Linas and Beata Seinauskiene. “Effect Of Consumer Self-Discrepancy On Materialism And Impulse Buying: The Role Of Subjective Well-Being”. 6/2023AD. Central European Management Journal, vol. 31, no. 2, 2023, pp. 222-240.

Chicago style

Pupelis, Linas and Beata Seinauskiene. “Effect Of Consumer Self-Discrepancy On Materialism And Impulse Buying: The Role Of Subjective Well-Being”. Central European Management Journal, Central European Management Journal, 31, no. 2 (2023): 222-240. doi:10.1108/CEMJ-12-2021-0154.