Reciprocal Relationship between Subjective Well-Being, Social Media Engagement and Compulsive Buying Behavior

Abstract

The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the interplay between subjective well-being (SWB), social media engagement (SME), and compulsive buying behavior (CBB). Additionally, the research sought to explore the long-term and reciprocal connections among SWB, SME, and CBB. Employing a longitudinal design, the study conducted a 2-wave investigation involving 226 employees from diverse sectors in Jakarta, Indonesia. The findings from the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) cross-lagged analysis indicated that SWB at Time 1/Time 2 had a negative and significant predictive effect on SME at Time 1/Time 2 and CBB at Time 1/Time 2, supporting the presence of long-term influences. Moreover, the results demonstrated that SME at Time 1 and CBB at Time 2 significantly predicted SWB at Time 2. Lastly, the study revealed a positive and significant relationship between SME at Time 1/Time 2 and CBB at Time 1/Time 2. This study contributes to the literature by empirically examining the reciprocal relationship among SWB, SME, and CBB, particularly focusing on the association between SWB and CBB. Keyword: compulsive buying behavior; reciprocal relationship; social media engagement; subjective well-being; longitudinal