Moderated Mediating Effect of Behavioral Psychology on Generation Z’s Selfie-Posting Behavior: A Two-Stage Analytical Approach

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating and moderating effects of body appreciation and exhibitionism on the relationships between self-esteem, narcissism, and Selfie Posting Behavior (SPB), as well as on the moderating effect of attitude towards selfies (ATS) from the Generation Z perspective. The research comprised 414 samples through convenience sampling. The empirical data were analyzed using a hybrid SEM-artificial neural network (SEM-ANN) approach. The sensitivity analysis outcomes discovered that body appreciation has the most considerable effect on the SPB, with 89.18% normalized importance, followed by narcissism (87.02%), exhibitionism (72.66%), and self-esteem (48.95%). Body appreciation and exhibitionism independently and sequentially mediated the relationships between self-esteem and SPB, as well as narcissism and SPB. In addition, attitude moderated the relationship between exhibitionism and SPB but not the relationship between body appreciation and SPB. The study results emphasize the importance of recognizing the moderating mechanisms that affect the mediated pathways between self-esteem and SPB, as well as between narcissism and SPB. Based on these findings, the study outlined several applicable ramifications for educators, professionals, service providers, designers, and developers.

Author Biographies

Sanjoy Kumar Roy, City University, Bangladesh

Sanjoy Kumar Roy, a native of Bangladesh, holds a BSc and an MSc from the Department of Statistics, Biostatistics & Informatics at the University of Dhaka. He began his academic career as a faculty member at City University, Bangladesh on November 7, 2012, and is currently employed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of General Education. Sanjoy Kumar Roy has published his research in both domestic and international journals. His primary research interests are statistics, sustainable development, environmental sustainability, green education, and green initiatives.

Shamsun Arefin, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Shamsun Arefin has obtained her Master’s degree in International Business from the University of Sydney, Australia. She is currently employed as an Associate Professor at the Department of International Business, University of Dhaka. Her primary research interests include business sustainability, corporate governance and disclosure, international trade policies, the resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurship.

Md. Rahat Khan, Army Institute of Business Administration (Army IBA), Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Rahat Khan is a PhD research fellow at Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is a full-time member of the faculty at the Army Institute of Business Administration (Army IBA) in Savar (an Affiliated Institute of the Bangladesh University of Professionals). He has published three books, 40 journal articles, 10 conference papers, and one concept note. His academic credentials include a BBS (Hons) and MBS in Management from the National University, Bangladesh, and his MBA in Marketing and Finance from IBA, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. His primary research interests are strategic management and marketing, disruptive innovation, sustainability in business venturing, entrepreneurship development, and behavioral and psychological aspects of business activity.

Published
2024-10-21
How to Cite
Roy, S., Arefin, S., & Khan, M. (2024). Moderated Mediating Effect of Behavioral Psychology on Generation Z’s Selfie-Posting Behavior: A Two-Stage Analytical Approach. Changing Societies & Personalities, 8(3), 736–764. doi:10.15826/csp.2024.8.3.297
Section
Articles