Impact of Consumerism on the Consumption Attitudes of University Students

A Literature Review of The Impact of Consumerism on The Consumption Attitudes of University Students
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A Literature Review of The Impact of Consumerism on The Consumption Attitudes of University Students
Consumerism Has a More Significant Impact on The Consumer Attitudes of Men Than Women
The discourse about consumerism among university students has taken diverse approaches, including discussions about the effect of gender on consumer attitudes. Different researchers have explored this dynamic and presented transformative findings illustrating how this behavior influences males and females. For instance, Fekete-Farkas et al. (2021) recognize that gender determines how males and females make their purchasing decisions. The author confirms that gender differences have remained critical in explaining how consumers approach their decision-making, and this aspect cuts across all age groups, including university students. The primary focus of Fekete-Farkas et al. (2021) in this context is that gender differences affect many consumer-related aspects, including behavior and data processing, making it a fundamental concept of consideration. Salehi et al. (2021) also support this observation by stating that gender moderates the adopted behaviors by males or females. Such an aspect translates to the variations existing in consumer attitudes today.
One of the commonplace observations is that consumerism affects males more than women. This claim is true based on men’s distinguishing characteristics and behavior, including university students. According to Rahman et al. (2018), although males are more systematic and diligent while making decisions, they are also risk-takers. Fekete-Farkas et al. (2021) state that the social role theory best explains this behavior among males, making them more vulnerable to consumerism than women. The theory indicates that men’s risk-taking nature is consistent with society’s social expectations to behave in such a manner. As a result, they rarely indulge in excessive service evaluations and critiquing, unlike their female counterparts. Such an aspect explains why other studies, such as the one by Alam (2018), find male university students more involved in purchasing goods and other services using online-based platforms than females. As explained by the social role theory, the social expectation of men to meet specific needs could be a leading reason for the increased impact of consumerism among men more than women. In this context, the demonstrated university male students’ engagement with e-commerce sites illustrates their attempt to meet these social roles by increasing their consumption levels. They also maintain a positive attitude that makes it easy for them to embrace marketed products because it forms a part of their image in society.
Trends demonstrate that the social expectations for men do not exclude university students. As a result, this aspect makes them vulnerable to consumerism, leading to their increased consumption patterns due to positive consumer attitudes. While women take their time to evaluate products and prioritize values, men incline towards a more risk-taking approach that confirms the increased impact of consumerism on their consumer attitudes.
Consumerism Does Not Affect the Consumer Attitudes of People in Economically Developed Cities and Those in Cities That Are Relatively Less Economically Developed
Researchers have explored the implication of consumerism in diverse economic settings. One primary observation from various studies is that people’s consumption attitudes are consistent with their income level. For instance, Dobbs et al. (2012) state that the rise of new cities in developed nations has opened up a new frontier that provides the markets with populations that can afford more goods. The author explains that developed cities have more individuals categorized as consuming classes than other regions without financial capacity. According to Dobbs et al. (2012), such a group constitutes “a segment of the population that has income sufficient to buy not just necessities but also discretionary goods and services – that fuels rapid economic growth” (23). Such persons have a disposable income that they can use for purchasing extra items. The author indicates that the annual income can be as much as $3600 or an extra $10 a day (Dobbs et al., 2012). Thus, when faced with consumerism, people with this income, including university students, are more likely to shift their consumer attitudes and purchase items because of their existing financial capacity.
The economic potential of a region has a significant impact on consumer behavior. For instance, Lobaugh et al. (2019) indicate that the gradual marketplace and economic changes influence the finances at a person’s disposal and their ability to afford marketed items. University students in relatively developed and developed urban areas have a higher probability of finding employment opportunities to avail funds for meeting many needs. Such an aspect reflects Dobbs et al.’s (2012) arguments that the availability of disposable income affects consumer attitudes and increases the impact of consumerism in the process. Learners in an environment that provides desirable earning opportunities, such as in economically developed countries, can easily meet their needs and leave sufficient earnings to buy luxury-related items for self-appreciation. While such an aspect is possible in developed cities, the opposite occurs in non-developed ones since residents have no extra income for expenditures beyond basic needs. Thus, consumerism affects the attitudes of consumers.
Another interesting concept related to consumerism and the consumption attitude of individuals in economically empowered regions is that individuals in such contexts interact with advanced technology more frequently. Such an aspect enabled them to gain increased access, familiarity, and awareness of different goods in the marketplace. Naranjo (2015) indicates that businesses shifting from conventional to e-commerce approaches ensures they establish a stronger connection with their clients through online-based platforms. In this context, Alam (2018) notes that individuals within an economically empowered area, such as relatively developed and developed cities, may suffer the impacts of consumerism more due to technological exposure and influence. As a result, unlike the claim that consumerism may have minimal effect on the consumer attitudes of people in such settings, trends established by these studies prove that a significant impact exists. Thus, consumerism affects the consumption attitude of all people indiscriminately, irrespective of their cities’ level of development.
The Level of Well-Being does Not influence the Effect of Consumerism on University Students
Consumerism among university students is a complex behavior that emerges from diverse factors. For instance, researchers have been exploring the effect of one’s well-being level on the consumerism trends among this population. According to Zhao and Wei (2019), “consumer well-being refers to an emotional and cognitive response that consumers generate in consumer experience, including three characteristics, which are consumer satisfaction, positive emotion, and perceived quality of life” (135). Ryan...