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Article

Digital Selves and Curated Choices: How Social Media Self-Presentation Enhances Consumers’ Experiential Consumption Preferences

by
Yun Zou
1,
Shengqi Zhang
2,* and
Yong Wang
3
1
School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
2
Lewis College of Science and Letters, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
3
School of Business, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Theor. Appl. Electron. Commer. Res. 2025, 20(3), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030238
Submission received: 4 August 2025 / Revised: 19 August 2025 / Accepted: 26 August 2025 / Published: 3 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Topic Innovations in New Media: Shaping the Future of Interactive Marketing)
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Abstract

With the rise of e-commerce, mobile devices, and social media, consumers’ online social and shopping behaviors have become increasingly integrated, making social commerce a major force in the digital marketplace. In this context, consumer behaviors on social media can exert a profound influence on purchase decisions. This research investigates the impact of social media self-presentation, a key social behavior on social media, on consumers’ preference for experiential consumption. Drawing on one survey study and one experimental study, the findings reveal that social media self-presentation significantly predicts a stronger preference for experiential consumption (e.g., travel) over material consumption (e.g., tangible goods), with this effect being particularly salient among female participants. Furthermore, self-concept clarity mediates this relationship: both positive and authentic self-presentation enhance individuals’ clarity of self-concept, which in turn promotes a greater inclination toward experiential purchases. These findings highlight the key role of social media behavior in shaping consumer behaviors. The results offer important theoretical and practical insights into consumer decision-making in digital contexts and guide platform design and personalized recommendation systems.

1. Introduction

With the increasing integration of online social interaction and consumption scenarios, e-commerce is rapidly evolving toward a more socialized form. Social commerce, as an emerging consumption model, has become a key trend in the development of the digital marketplace. Against this backdrop, it is crucial to investigate how consumers’ social behaviors in online environments influence their purchasing decisions. Existing research has shown that individuals’ behaviors on social media platforms are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping their consumption choices and preferences [1,2,3,4]. Among these behaviors, social media self-presentation—a core expression of consumer activity on social platforms—warrants particular attention. Exploring its influence on consumption behavior can deepen our understanding of consumer psychology in the context of social commerce and provide valuable insights for platform design and marketing strategies. Social media self-presentation involves the process of displaying a specific image to others, such as uploading personal photos, posting recent life updates, and showcasing personal interests on social media [5]. Social media self-presentation can be categorized into positive self-presentation and authentic self-presentation [6]. Positive self-presentation primarily showcases the positive aspects of oneself, while authentic self-presentation reveals the true self. Existing research indicates that social media self-presentation affects both self-concept and interpersonal relationships [6,7,8,9,10]. For instance, individuals can enhance their self-esteem through social media self-presentation [8]. Furthermore, social media self-presentation can also boost subjective well-being [6,9], create a psychological buffer against negative life events [10], and increase confidence in dating success [11].
Experiential consumption has been proposed as a contrast to material consumption and represents a newly emerging classification of consumption types in consumer behavior research. Experiential consumption refers to consumption aimed at acquiring certain experiences or life events, where the objects of consumption are often intangible experiences and services, such as karaoke, movie-going, and traveling [12]. Material consumption, on the other hand, refers to consumption aimed at acquiring tangible goods, such as daily necessities, clothing, and electronic devices [12]. Previous studies on factors influencing experiential consumption have found that individuals with interdependent self-construal are more inclined towards experiential consumption compared to those with independent self-construal [13]. Moreover, passive negative experiences may influence individuals’ preferences for experiential consumption. Li et al. noted that individuals who experience social exclusion develop a stronger preference for experiential consumption over material consumption [14]. Subsequently, Li et al. found that mortality salience increases preference for experiential consumption by diminishing the sense of meaning in life [15]. Taken together, these studies suggest that existing research has primarily examined experiential consumption through personal traits (e.g., self-construal) and passive real-life experiences (e.g., social exclusion, mortality salience). However, little is known about the influence of consumers’ active online behaviors—specifically, social media self-presentation—on their preferences for experiential consumption. Moreover, in the current context where social media and consumer behavior are highly integrated, it is crucial to examine how consumers’ social media behaviors influence their consumption preferences. Therefore, this paper primarily investigates the impact of social media self-presentation and different self-presentation strategies on preferences for experiential consumption and explores the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions of this impact.
This study will adopt a combination of questionnaire surveys and experimental methods to examine the impact of social media self-presentation on preferences for experiential consumption, as well as the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of self-concept clarity. This research provides theoretical guidance for businesses to design targeted marketing strategies that influence consumers’ experiential consumption based on their social media usage habits and self-presentation behaviors content. Furthermore, this study helps consumers understand how their social media usage habits affect their consumption preferences and behaviors, thereby reducing irrational consumption behaviors.

2. Theoretical Foundation and Hypotheses Development

2.1. Social Media Self-Presentation and Consumers’ Preferences for Experiential Consumption

Self-presentation refers to the “self-display” in which individuals intentionally adjust their behavior to create a specific impression on others [16]. It is the process by which individuals “consciously select and present specific information and behaviors to shape the image they present to others” in real-life social contexts [17]. Social media self-presentation is an extension of traditional self-presentation into the online context. Building on Hogan’s definition of social media self-presentation [5], we further define it as the process by which social media users meticulously select photos, design and edit personal profiles, and control their behaviors to present an image of themselves that aligns with their desired impression. Regarding self-presentation strategies, Kim and Lee categorized social media self-presentation into positive self-presentation and authentic self-presentation [6]. Social media positive self-presentation refers to the strategic behavior in which individuals intentionally emphasize their positive traits, experiences, or achievements on social media. Individuals engaging in positive self-presentation selectively highlight their favorable aspects and strengths. This strategy can enhance users’ subjective well-being by maintaining a positive self-concept and eliciting social support, thereby increasing self-esteem and overall happiness [6,18,19]. In contrast, social media authentic self-presentation refers to the strategic behavior in which individuals present their true selves (including personality, emotions, and attitudes) on social media to convey a genuine self-image. Although authentic self-presentation does not always emphasize positive aspects, it allows individuals to reveal deeper and more authentic facets of themselves. Compared to positive self-presentation, authentic self-presentation tends to increase trust, foster closer interpersonal relationships, and elicit empathy, thereby facilitating social support and enhancing subjective well-being [9,20].
Previous research has found that social media self-presentation often brings positive effects to individuals. On the one hand, through social media self-presentation, individuals can reduce social distance, enhance social skills, and alleviate feelings of loneliness [7,21], thereby improving subjective well-being [6,9]. On the other hand, social media self-presentation is also a process through which individuals engage in self-reflection, helping them further construct and maintain their self-concept [16]. Additionally, individuals often engage in impression management through social media self-presentation, which boosts self-esteem [8,22] and increases confidence in dating success [11]. Furthermore, some studies have found that social media self-presentation can create a psychological buffer against negative life events [10]. The aforementioned research has primarily focused on the impact of social media self-presentation on individuals’ emotions and cognition, but little is known about whether these emotional and cognitive benefits extend to consumer behavior. Given the continuous growth of social commerce, it is crucial to further investigate whether the changes in emotions and cognition resulting from social media self-presentation also influence consumption behavior. However, research on the influence of social media self-presentation on individual consumption behavior is still in its infancy. Researchers have primarily focused on the impact of social media self-presentation on single-category consumption behaviors, such as luxury consumption [23], and preferences for virtual goods online [1,2]. No studies have yet explored its influence on experiential consumption, which encompasses a broader range of consumption behavior preferences. Given the increasing integration of shopping and social interactions due to the growing functionality of social media platforms, investigating the impact of social media self-presentation on individual consumption behavior is crucial. Therefore, this paper primarily explores the influence of social media self-presentation and different self-presentation strategies on consumers’ preferences for experiential consumption, aiming to enrich the research on the impact of social media self-presentation on individual consumption behavior.
This study extends the existing literature in the following three aspects. First, previous research has mainly focused on the impact of social media self-presentation on single-category consumption behaviors. However, experiential consumption often encompasses a broader range of consumption behaviors and has distinct characteristics that differentiate it from other types of consumption. In other words, the influence of social media self-presentation on consumers’ preferences for experiential consumption may differ. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of social media self-presentation on consumers’ preferences for experiential consumption to enrich the literature on social media self-presentation. Second, existing research has noted differences in the content and motivations of social media self-presentation between genders [24], suggesting that individuals of different genders may have different intrinsic understandings of social media self-presentation. Consequently, the consumption preferences exhibited by individuals of different genders after engaging in social media self-presentation may also vary. Moreover, no studies have explored the interaction between gender and social media self-presentation on individual experiential consumption behavior. Therefore, this study incorporates gender as a boundary condition to investigate its moderating role, aiming to provide insights for future marketing practices. Finally, previous research on factors influencing experiential consumption preferences has primarily focused on individual traits and passive negative experiences, such as self-construal [13], social exclusion [14], and mortality salience [15]. No studies have yet examined the impact of individuals’ active self-presentation behaviors on experiential consumption. Therefore, this study explores the influence of social media self-presentation on consumers’ experiential consumption behavior and further investigates its underlying psychological mechanisms to enrich the literature on experiential consumption.

2.2. The Impact of Social Media Self-Presentation on Consumers’ Preferences for Experiential Consumption

Impression management theory posits that the content of individuals’ social media self-presentation is largely aimed at creating desired impressions in the minds of others [25]. Consequently, individuals engaging in social media self-presentation frequently deliberate over how to project their intended image and cultivate a favorable impression. Compared to individuals with lower social media self-presentation intensity, those with higher intensity often exhibit stronger mental schemas oriented toward impression formation, which further influences their behavioral tendencies [9,18,19,20]. In other words, when faced with consumption choices, individuals with higher social media self-presentation intensity are more inclined to select consumption options that facilitate the expression and reinforcement of their self-image. We posit that, compared to material consumption, experiential consumption is inherently more conducive to self-expression. Experiential consumption is often regarded as a reflection of one’s personal identity (e.g., “travel makes me a braver person”), whereas material consumption is typically viewed as external possession (e.g., “a phone is just a tool”) [26,27]. Moreover, the visibility (e.g., tangible products) and descriptiveness (e.g., “having multiple functions”) of material goods tend to reduce their narratability, while the story-rich nature of experiential consumption generates more conversational topics for self-disclosure [26,27]. This allows individuals to showcase their uniqueness [27,28], more effectively cultivate positive social relationships [27,29], and gain greater social approval [27]. Furthermore, Bastos and Brucks highlight that people tend to appreciate individuals who express their authentic personality through experiences rather than possessions [27]. Therefore, individuals with higher social media self-presentation intensity exhibit a stronger preference for experiential consumption compared to those with lower intensity.
For individuals engaging in positive self-presentation, the goal of social media self-presentation is to craft a favorable and distinctive self-image by highlighting their strengths and positive personal attributes [6]. For those engaging in authentic self-presentation, the objective is to reveal deeper inner thoughts and present a more genuine, profound, and unique self-image [6]. Compared to material consumption, experiential consumption inherently carries more self-relevant information, allowing individuals to convey richer, more nuanced, and distinctive narratives about themselves [27,28]. Whether aiming to project positive traits or authentic emotions, experiential consumption better satisfies the psychological needs and motivations of individuals with higher social media self-presentation intensity. Thus, regardless of the self-presentation strategy (positive or authentic), individuals with higher self-presentation intensity will demonstrate a stronger preference for experiential consumption compared to those with lower intensity.
In summary, although the types of information conveyed through different self-presentation strategies vary, both positive and authentic self-presentation fundamentally reflect processes of impression management. Both strategies aim to project specific self-characteristics and share a cognitive schema oriented toward image cultivation and expression [9,23,24,25]. Consequently, this study posits that social media self-presentation influences individuals’ preferences for experiential consumption, with both positive and authentic self-presentation strategies exerting distinct effects. Based on this rationale, the following hypotheses are proposed (Figure 1):
H1: 
Social media self-presentation intensity positively influences individuals’ preferences for experiential consumption.
H1a: 
Social media positive self-presentation intensity positively influences individuals’ preferences for experiential consumption.
H1b: 
Social media authentic self-presentation intensity positively influences individuals’ preferences for experiential consumption.

2.3. The Moderating Role of Gender

In daily life, both males and females engage in self-presentation on social media. However, the impact of social media self-presentation on consumers’ experiential consumption preferences may vary by gender. Compared to males, females are generally more focused on emotional connections and social interactions [30] and pay greater attention to their self-presentation in front of others [31]. Therefore, when engaging in social media self-presentation, females tend to place more emphasis on shaping their self-image than males. For instance, research has shown that females spend 10% more time on social networks than males, are more concerned with self-display, and invest more effort in crafting their personal profiles [21]. In contrast, males’ self-presentation behaviors on social media are often characterized by competition and dominance [32]. As a result, after engaging in social media self-presentation, females are more likely than males to develop fixed mindsets about maintaining their self-image and are more inclined to choose consumption items that facilitate the expression and shaping of their self-image. Given that experiential consumption is more conducive to self-expression and self-image shaping than material consumption, females are likely to exhibit a stronger preference for experiential consumption than males after engaging in social media self-presentation. In summary, this study posits that the impact of social media self-presentation on consumers’ experiential consumption preferences varies by gender. Specifically, the effect is stronger for females and weaker for males (Figure 1).
H2: 
Gender moderates the impact of social media self-presentation on consumers’ experiential consumption preferences. Specifically, the impact of social media self-presentation on female consumers’ preference for experiential consumption is stronger, while its impact on male consumers’ preference for experiential consumption is weaker.

2.4. The Mediating Role of Self-Concept Clarity

Self-concept clarity refers to the degree to which an individual’s understanding and awareness of self-concept are clear and well-defined. Individuals with higher self-concept clarity possess a clearer and more confident understanding of themselves, and their self-perception is characterized by greater consistency and stability [33]. The formation of self-concept typically involves the organization and integration of daily life experiences into a relatively clear, consistent, and stable self-concept, a process that enhances self-concept clarity. Social media has become an important platform for individuals to integrate their self-concept [34,35]. During the process of self-presentation on social media, individuals often consider how others perceive them and reflect on how to present and shape the image they wish to convey. This prompts continuous self-reflection, examination of self-image, and integration of self-concept, thereby enhancing self-awareness and increasing self-concept clarity [31,36,37]. Therefore, self-presentation on social media tends to enhance individuals’ self-concept clarity. Additionally, the self-presentation strategies used by individuals during self-presentation on social media (positive self-presentation and authentic self-presentation) also positively influence self-concept clarity. Specifically, during positive self-presentation, individuals review and integrate their positive traits and strengths, maintaining a positive self-concept [6,23]. They also gain social support, which further enhances self-concept clarity [31,36,37]. During authentic self-presentation, individuals engage in deep reflection on their true feelings, thoughts, and attitudes, promoting self-integration and enhancing self-concept clarity [38].
When individuals possess higher self-concept clarity, their understanding of themselves becomes more explicit, and they have a clearer idea of how to define and maintain their self-concept. In line with the self-relevance theory [28,39], the content of experiential consumption includes experiences, memories, and feelings [27], which are important components of the self. In contrast, the content of material consumption consists of external material goods that are more distant from the self compared to experiences, memories, and feelings. It follows that, compared to material consumption, experiential consumption is more conducive to defining and maintaining the self-concept. Compared to individuals with lower self-concept clarity, those with higher self-concept clarity have a clearer understanding of how to define and maintain their self-concept and are more likely to define themselves through their experiences rather than through possessions [27]. Therefore, compared to material consumption, individuals with higher self-concept clarity are more inclined to choose experiential consumption, using these experiences to consolidate their self-concept, express personal characteristics, and fulfill their self-identity needs, that is, they exhibit a stronger preference for experiential consumption.
In summary, this study posits that self-presentation on social media (both positive and authentic self-presentation) enhances individuals’ self-concept clarity. When individuals have higher self-concept clarity, they exhibit a greater preference for experiential consumption. Therefore, this study proposes the following hypotheses (Figure 1):
H3: 
Self-concept clarity mediates the effect of self-presentation on social media on preference for experiential consumption. Specifically, self-presentation on social media positively influences self-concept clarity, which in turn enhances individuals’ preference for experiential consumption.
H3a: 
Self-concept clarity mediates the effect of positive self-presentation on preference for experiential consumption. Specifically, positive self-presentation positively influences self-concept clarity, which in turn enhances individuals’ preference for experiential consumption.
H3b: 
Self-concept clarity mediates the effect of authentic self-presentation on preference for experiential consumption. Specifically, authentic self-presentation positively influences self-concept clarity, which in turn enhances individuals’ preference for experiential consumption.

3. Materials and Methods

As suggested by Wang, we employed a multi-study, multi-source design, integrating a survey and a controlled experiment to strengthen the robustness and external validity of our findings [40]. Collectively, the two studies systematically investigate how social-media self-presentation shapes consumers’ preference for experiential consumption, while testing the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of self-concept clarity. We chose the Moments feature on WeChat as the platform for social media self-presentation because it is currently the most popular social media platform in China and is widely used for self-presentation activities. Study 1 employs a questionnaire method to primarily investigate the impact of the intensity of social media self-presentation in individuals’ daily lives on their preferences for experiential consumption and to verify the mediating role of self-concept clarity. Study 2 adopted an experimental method by manipulating participants’ levels and strategies of social media self-presentation to further validate the causal relationship between social media self-presentation and experiential consumption preferences and to further investigate the moderating role of gender and the robustness of the mediating role of self-concept clarity.

3.1. Study 1

The purpose of Study 1 is to use a questionnaire method to explore the impact of individuals’ daily social media self-presentation intensity on their preference for experiential consumption, and to further verify the mediating role of self-concept clarity.

3.1.1. Participants and Procedure

Study 1 employed a questionnaire method and recruited 300 participants from the Credamo survey platform in China (Mage = 32.12 years, SD = 6.51; 53.8% male).
To measure social media self-presentation, this study used objective data of participants’ self-presentation on social media to reflect their intensity of self-presentation. Specifically, we adapted the questionnaire on users’ social media usage habits used by Kim and Lee [6]. We first introduced the concept of social media self-presentation to the participants and then asked them to answer the question, “What proportion of the content you posted on WeChat Moments in the past month is self-presentational content?” to measure their intensity of social media self-presentation. During the measurement process, participants were allowed to review all the content they had posted on social media platforms to screen and calculate the percentage of self-presentational content out of the total content.
Next, we used the Experiential Consumption Preference Scale designed by Howell et al. to measure participants’ experiential consumption preferences (Cronbach’s α = 0.78) [41]. In addition, to enhance the robustness of the study, we designed three hypothetical consumption scenarios to measure participants’ consumption choices in real consumption situations: (1) Imagine you are on a business trip to Hong Kong and have an afternoon to spare. Would you choose “shopping” or “sightseeing”? (2) Imagine you are a music lover. Would you choose to buy a sound system or attend a concert? (3) Imagine you are at a commercial complex. Would you choose to purchase tangible goods or engage in experiential activities (see Appendix A.1). These items demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.88).
Finally, we used the Self-Concept Clarity Scale developed by Campbell et al. to measure participants’ self-concept clarity (Cronbach’s α = 0.92) [33].

3.1.2. Results

Main Effects: The results showed that in the linear regression analysis of the impact of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by scale score), after controlling for the effects of covariates (gender, age, monthly income, and monthly expenditure), the regression coefficient of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by scale score) was significant (β = 0.160, p < 0.01), indicating that social media self-presentation has a significant positive impact on experiential consumption preference as measured by the scale. And we analyzed the impact of control variables on experiential consumption preference (measured by scale score). The results show that gender (β = −0.072, p = 0.252), age (β = −0.019, p = 0.775), monthly income (β = −0.104, p = 0.307), and monthly expenditure (β = 0.174, p = 0.082) are not significantly correlated with experiential consumption preference (measured by scale score).
In the linear regression analysis of the impact of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by situational scenarios), after controlling for the effects of covariates (gender, age, monthly income, and monthly expenditure), the regression coefficient of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by situational scenarios) was significant (β = 0.149, p < 0.05), indicating that social media self-presentation has a significant positive impact on experiential consumption preference as measured by situational scenarios. H1 was verified. We analyzed the impact of control variables on experiential consumption preference (measured through situational scenarios). The results show that gender (β = −0.022, p = 0.725), age (β = −0.013, p = 0.837), monthly income (β = −0.113, p = 0.271), and monthly expenditure (β = 0.170, p = 0.090) are also not significantly correlated with experiential consumption preference (measured through situational scenarios).
Mediation Effect: To examine the mediating role of self-concept clarity (H3), we conducted a mediation analysis using Model 4 of the PROCESS developed by Hayes [42]. We specified social media self-presentation as the independent variable, experiential consumption preference (measured by scale) as the dependent variable, self-concept clarity as the mediator, and gender, age, monthly income, and monthly expenditure as covariates. We performed a Bootstrap mediation test with 5000 resamples and a 95% confidence interval. The results showed that the direct effect of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by scale) was significant (Effect = 0.0116, Boot SE = 0.0052, 95% CI = [0.0013, 0.0219]), and the mediating effect of self-concept clarity was also significant (Effect = 0.0020, Boot SE = 0.0012, 95% CI = [0.0001, 0.0049]). Additionally, when experiential consumption preference (measured by situational scenarios) was used as the dependent variable, the direct effect of social media self-presentation on experiential consumption preference (measured by situational scenarios) was significant (Effect = 0.0121, Boot SE = 0.0058, 95% CI = [0.0007, 0.0234]), and the mediating effect of self-concept clarity was marginally significant (Effect = 0.0017, Boot SE = 0.0013, 95% CI = [−0.0002, 0.0047]) (Table 1). These results provide preliminary evidence that self-concept clarity mediates the relationship between social media self-presentation and experiential consumption preference. Thus, H3 received initial support. To further validate this hypothesis, Study 2 employed a mediation test with an experimental design to more rigorously examine the mediating role of self-concept clarity.

3.1.3. Discussion

Study 1 confirmed Hypotheses 1 and 3, revealing a significant positive correlation between social media self-presentation and consumers’ preference for experiential consumption, as well as a significant mediating role of self-concept clarity. However, this study is not without limitations. Study 1 employed a questionnaire-based approach, which is incapable of establishing causal relationships between variables. Moreover, while questionnaires are primarily designed to measure stable individual states and tendencies, experimental manipulation can uncover behavioral preferences under specific contexts. Compared to questionnaires, experimental manipulation yields more authentic and practically valuable results, making it more suitable for analyzing moderating effects. Therefore, in Study 1, we included gender as a control variable without examining the interaction between social media self-presentation and gender on experiential consumption preferences. In Study 2, we adopted a single-factor, three-level experimental design to further verify the causal relationships between variables, the interaction between social media self-presentation and gender, and to re-examine the mediating role of self-concept clarity.

3.2. Study 2

To further explore the impact of different social media self-presentation strategies on preferences for experiential consumption, Study 2 employed an experimental method to verify this relationship. By manipulating participants’ social media self-presentation strategies, the study examined their causal relationships, further tested the interaction between social media self-presentation and gender, and once again verified the mediating role of self-concept clarity.

3.2.1. Participants and Procedure

Study 2 employed a one-way between-subject experimental design with three levels (positive self-presentation group vs. authentic self-presentation group vs. control group). Using G-power 3.1 software with a medium effect size (f = 0.4), significance level (α = 0.05), and statistical power (1 − β = 0.8), and with the number of groups set at three, the minimum required sample size for Study 2 was calculated to be 66 participants. To ensure an adequate sample size, 90 students from a Chinese university were recruited through publicity and randomly assigned to three groups (Mage = 18.74 years, SD = 1.58, 37.8% male). Upon completing the task, participants received volunteer hours as compensation.
Before the experiment began, we measured participants’ self-concept clarity using the Self-Concept Clarity Scale developed by Lennox and Wolfe and collected basic demographic information, including gender, age, and monthly income [43]. Subsequently, participants were asked to engage in positive self-presentation (positive self-presentation group), authentic self-presentation (authentic self-presentation group), or to forward WeChat public account articles (control group) for one week as the experimental manipulation. Specifically, for the experimental groups, the experimenter first introduced the concept of positive self-presentation (vs. authentic self-presentation) on social media and then asked participants to post one positive self-presentation (vs. authentic self-presentation) message on WeChat Moments or QQ Space (depending on their most frequently used platform) each day for a week. Participants in the control group were required to forward one WeChat public account article each day for a week without engaging in any self-presentation on social media. During this week, participants were required to upload screenshots of their self-presentations or forwarded articles to a WeChat check-in mini-program. Participants who failed to complete the task as required were not eligible to receive volunteer hours. After one week, we measured participants’ self-concept clarity again and assessed their preference for experiential consumption using seven specific scenarios (see Appendix A.2). The measurement was conducted using a 7-point Likert scale, where 1 indicated a strong preference for material consumption and 7 indicated a strong preference for experiential consumption.

3.2.2. Results

Main Effects: Firstly, the results showed that compared with the control group, participants in the self-presentation group had a higher preference for experiential consumption (Mself-presentation = 4.29, Mcontrol = 3.69, F (1, 88) = 8.64, p = 0.004 < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.089). H1 was verified. Second, the results showed that there was a significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption among the positive self-presentation group, the authentic self-presentation group, and the control group (Mpositive self-presentation = 4.34, Mauthentic self-presentation = 4.24, Mcontrol = 3.69, F (2, 87) = 4.38, p = 0.015 < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.091). LSD post hoc test results showed that compared with the control group, participants in the positive self-presentation group had a higher preference for experiential consumption (Mpositive self-presentation = 4.34, Mcontrol = 3.69, p = 0.007 < 0.01); compared with the control group, participants in the authentic self-presentation group had a higher preference for experiential consumption (Mauthentic self-presentation = 4.24, Mcontrol = 3.69, p = 0.023 < 0.05); there was no significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption between the authentic self-presentation group and the positive self-presentation group (Mpositive self-presentation = 4.34, Mauthentic self-presentation = 4.24, p = 0.659). H1a and H1b were verified.
Moderation Effect: Firstly, we conducted a two-way ANOVA. The results showed that the interaction effect between the two factors was significant: 2 (Group: Control group = 0, Self-presentation group = 1) × 2 (Gender: Male = 0, Female = 1), F (1, 86) = 6.13, p = 0.015 < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.067. The results of simple effect analysis showed that for males, there was no significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption between the control group and the self-presentation group (Mcontrol = 3.740, Mself-presentation = 3.739, F (1, 86) < 0.001, p = 0.997); for females, the preference for experiential consumption in the self-presentation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (Mself-presentation = 4.63, Mcontrol = 3.66, F (1, 86) = 16.45, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.161). H2 was verified.
Secondly, the results showed that the interaction effect of 3 (group: control group = 0, positive self-presentation group = 1, authentic self-presentation group = 2) × 2 (gender: male = 0, female = 1) was significant (F (2, 84) = 3.56, p = 0.033 < 0.05, ηp2 = 0.078). The results of simple effect analysis showed that for males, there was no significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption among the three groups (Mcontrol = 3.74, Mpositive self-presentation = 3.91, Mauthentic self-presentation = 3.60, F (2, 84) = 0.37, p = 0.69); for females, there was a significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption among the three groups (Mcontrol = 3.66, Mpositive self-presentation = 4.56, Mauthentic self-presentation = 4.72, F (2, 84) = 8.31, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.165). Specifically, the preference for experiential consumption in the positive self-presentation group was significantly greater than that in the control group (p < 0.05), the preference for experiential consumption in the authentic self-presentation group was significantly greater than that in the control group (p < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the preference for experiential consumption between the positive self-presentation group and the authentic self-presentation group (p = 0.558).
Mediation Effect: To examine the mediating role of self-concept clarity (H3a and H3b), we conducted a mediation analysis using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro developed by Hayes [42]. Since the independent variable was categorical, we set X as multicategorical variable in PROCESS and created two dummy variables, “positive self-presentation” and “authentic self-presentation,” with the control group as the reference category. We specified the difference between pre- and post-measures of self-concept clarity as the mediator, the preference for experiential consumption measured by situational scenarios as the dependent variable, and the weekly frequency of social media self-presentation and the percentage of daily social media self-presentation as covariates. We performed a Bootstrap mediation test with 5000 resamples and a 95% confidence interval. The results showed that, with the control group as the reference, the direct effect of positive self-presentation on experiential consumption preference was significant (Effect = 0.5488, Boot SE = 0.2425, 95% CI = [0.0667, 1.0310]), and the mediating effect of self-concept clarity was also significant (Effect = 0.1595, Boot SE = 0.0754, 95% CI = [0.0148, 0.3059]). In contrast, with the control group as the reference, the direct effect of authentic self-presentation on experiential consumption preference was not significant (Effect = 0.3766, Boot SE = 0.2426, 95% CI = [−0.1058, 0.8590]), but the mediating effect of self-concept clarity was significant (Effect = 0.1709, Boot SE = 0.0965, 95% CI = [0.0028, 0.3646]) (Table 2). Thus, H3, H3a and H3b were supported.

3.2.3. Discussion

Study 2 employed experimental methods to manipulate social media self-presentation strategies and examined their impact on experiential consumption preferences, as well as the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of self-concept clarity. All hypotheses were verified. Firstly, Study 2 found significant differences in experiential consumption preferences between the control group and the self-presentation groups through independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Specifically, the preference for experiential consumption was significantly higher in both the positive self-presentation group and the authentic self-presentation group compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in experiential consumption preferences between the positive self-presentation group and the authentic self-presentation group. Thus, Hypotheses 1, 1a, and 1b were supported. Secondly, through the use of two-way ANOVA to examine the moderating effect of gender, it was found that the moderating effect of gender was significant. For females, self-presentation (both positive and authentic) significantly enhanced experiential consumption preferences, with authentic self-presentation having a stronger effect. For males, self-presentation (both positive and authentic) had no significant impact on experiential consumption preferences. Finally, mediation analysis using PROCESS Model 4 revealed that self-concept clarity significantly mediated the effect of positive self-presentation on experiential consumption preferences and also mediated the effect of authentic self-presentation on experiential consumption preferences. Thus, Hypotheses 3, 3a, and 3b were supported.

4. General Discussion

This study investigates the impact of social media self-presentation on consumers’ preference for experiential consumption through both questionnaire surveys and experimental research. It further examines the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of self-concept clarity in the relationship between social media self-presentation and preference for experiential consumption. The results verify all the hypotheses.

4.1. Theoretical Contributions

First, previous studies have primarily focused on the impact of self-presentation on social media on consumer behavior in a single product category [1,2,20], while the experiential consumption explored in this study encompasses a broader range of consumer categories. Zhang et al. found that experiential consumption is more likely to be shared by consumers on social media sites than material consumption, indicating that experiential consumption holds a unique position in self-presentation on social media [44]. Building on this, this study further reveals the positive impact of self-presentation on social media on consumers’ preference for experiential consumption, that is, self-presentation on social media can significantly enhance consumers’ preference for experiential consumption. This finding not only provides empirical support for the relationship between self-presentation on social media and preference for experiential consumption but also enriches the relevant literature in this field.
Second, this paper reveals the boundary conditions of the impact of self-presentation on social media on consumers’ preference for experiential consumption. Previous research has found that individuals of different genders show significant differences in the content and motives of self-presentation on social media [21]. Based on this, this study conducted a more in-depth investigation and found that individuals of different genders show obvious differences in consumption preferences after self-presentation on social media. Specifically, compared with men, women are more inclined to engage in experiential consumption after self-presentation on social media. This finding not only provides a new perspective on the role of gender differences in consumer behavior but also further enriches the literature related to gender differences.
Finally, as recommended by Wang this study avoids the common practice of constructing overly complex models by indiscriminately adding variables. Instead, it focuses on core hypotheses grounded in theory, thereby underscoring the explanatory value of self-concept clarity in the relationship between social-media self-presentation and consumers’ preference for experiential consumption [45]. Goffman argued that the process of re-examining oneself can enhance an individual’s self-concept [16]. Moreover, the research by Carter and Gilovich and Bastos and Brucks also shows that compared with material consumption, experiential consumption usually has a stronger self-relevance [27,28]. Based on these findings, this study proposes that self-presentation on social media can enhance individuals’ self-concept clarity, and consumers with clearer self-concepts are more likely to prefer experiential consumption. By revealing this underlying mechanism, this study further enriches the literature related to self-concept clarity and provides a new theoretical basis for understanding the impact of self-presentation on social media on preference for experiential consumption.

4.2. Managerial Implications

In recent years, the integration of social media and shopping apps has become increasingly profound [46]. Against this backdrop, the findings of this study offer a fresh perspective for the marketing practices and management of experiential consumption.
On the one hand, for businesses in the experiential consumption sector, social media has become a primary platform for advertising [47,48], enabling brands to engage in direct dialog with consumers [49]. Consumers who are accustomed to self-presentation on social media tend to have a clearer understanding of themselves. This, in turn, makes them more attentive to and inclined towards experiential consumption that is closely related to their self-image. Therefore, businesses in this sector can focus their advertising efforts on platforms that support social media self-presentation, thereby improving advertising efficiency and reducing costs. For example, businesses can prioritize platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which are known for their strong emphasis on user self-presentation and visual content. Moreover, in terms of marketing design, businesses can encourage consumers to engage in social media self-presentation when introducing experiential products [50]. Specifically, businesses can design interactive campaigns where consumers engage in self-presentation on social media, thus enhancing their self-presentation while also promoting the brand. After consumers have engaged in self-presentation, they are more likely to choose experiential consumption that is related to their self-image and allows for impression management. This can increase the conversion rate of experiential consumption and promote consumer spending.
On the other hand, for consumers, the findings of this study can encourage more cautious thinking. In the process of using social media, consumers are constantly exposed to a wide variety of eye-catching marketing advertisements. Due to the diversity of advertising methods, consumers may quickly develop an urge to buy under certain stimuli, leading to impulsive and irrational consumption. The findings of this study can remind consumers to reflect and review in a timely manner, enabling them to better understand their true needs and thus make more rational decisions when purchasing products. This helps to avoid impulsive consumption and reduce resource waste. Through this process of self-examination, consumers can better resist the temptation of excessive marketing, maintain sensitivity to their genuine product needs, and make wiser and more sustainable consumption decisions.

4.3. Limitations and Future Research

In This study has several limitations. First, in Study 1, the measurement of “social media self-presentation intensity” relied on participants’ retrospective recall of their posting behavior, which may be subject to bias. Future research could adopt validated scales to assess individuals’ self-presentation intensity in their daily social media use. Moreover, this study employs a relatively singular method for robustness testing when verifying the mediating effect. As Wang pointed out, a fascinating story can reveal the hidden meaning within data [40,51]. Therefore, a diversified approach to robustness testing can offer stronger support for the research. In future studies, it is advisable to adopt multiple methods to verify the robustness of the results, thereby enhancing the credibility and depth of the research.
Second, in Study 2, we recruited 90 student participants. Although this met the minimum requirement based on a priori power analysis, the sample size remains relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. While the sample in Study 1 was randomly selected on Credamo, its representativeness still has limitations. Future research could expand the sample size and include more diverse populations to further extend this study. Moreover, in Study 2, participants were required to engage in self-presentation once a day for a week, which may have felt forced and evoked resistance. Whether such potential resistance affected their responses warrants further investigation.
Third, this study primarily examined WeChat Moments as the platform for social media self-presentation. However, the degree and style of self-presentation may differ across platforms (e.g., Instagram, TikTok), and whether such differences lead to distinct effects remains to be further explored.
Finally, this study proposes that gender moderates the effect of social media self-presentation on consumers’ preference for experiential consumption. Other boundary conditions are also worth exploring, such as self-monitoring. Research has shown that individuals with high self-monitoring are more skilled at impression management [52]. Moreover, regardless of whether it is authentic or positive self-presentation, participants tend to have stronger self-concept clarity [31,36,37]. Moreover, cultural context should also be recognized as a key boundary condition. As this study was conducted within the Chinese social media environment, the extent to which the findings apply across different cultural contexts remains uncertain. Future research could investigate whether cultural values (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism) shape the relationship between self-presentation and experiential consumption preferences.

5. Conclusions

This study constructs a mediated moderation model that explains the phenomenon of social media self-presentation, leading to an increase in consumer preference for experiential consumption from the perspective of self-concept theory. When consumers engage in social media self-presentation (whether it is positive or authentic self-presentation), their preference for experiential consumption increases. Gender moderates this relationship, with the effect being stronger for females and non-existent for males. Self-concept clarity mediates the relationship between social media self-presentation and preference for experiential consumption. Specifically, social media self-presentation enhances individuals’ self-concept clarity, and individuals with higher self-concept clarity are more likely to choose experiential consumption.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.Z.; methodology, S.Z.; software, S.Z.; validation, Y.Z.; formal analysis, Y.Z.; investigation, S.Z.; resources, Y.Z.; data curation, Y.Z.; writing—original draft preparation, S.Z.; writing—review and editing, Y.Z.; visualization, Y.W.; supervision, Y.W. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Projects: 72472060, 72202084), Humanities and Social Sciences Fund Project of Chinese Ministry of Education (No. 23YJC630250).

Institutional Review Board Statement

According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, for anonymized data, Article 26 of the GDPR clearly states that data protection principles do not apply to anonymous information. This study collected data solely through the administration of anonymous questionnaires to adult participants and did not involve the collection of any sensitive personal information (e.g., names, identification numbers, contact details, medical history). All responses were recorded in a de-identified manner, and the research data were used exclusively for aggregated analysis and academic research purposes. The study posed no more than minimal risk, did not involve vulnerable populations, deception, or sensitive topics. Data Protection Measures: All data were collected anonymously and cannot be linked to any individual participant; No personally identifiable information was collected; All questionnaire data were stored securely and used solely for academic research purposes; Research findings are presented only in aggregated statistical form, ensuring that no individual can be re-identified. Informed Consent: Prior to participation, all respondents were informed of the purpose of the study, research procedures, voluntary participation principle, anonymity of participation, and the intended use of the data. Participants, after being fully informed, could choose freely whether to continue with the study or withdraw at any point. In conclusion, this study involves no ethical risks and qualifies for exemption from ethics committee approval.

Informed Consent Statement

Written informed consent was obtained from the participants to publish this paper.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors without undue reservation.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Appendix A

Appendix A.1. Study 1—Experiential Consumption Preference Scenarios

1. Please imagine that you are on a business trip to Hong Kong. After finishing your work, you have an afternoon of free time. Due to time constraints, you can only choose one activity:
A. You can choose to shop at a famous shopping mall in Hong Kong, where you can buy many things you want.
B. You can choose to visit a famous tourist attraction in Hong Kong, where you can experience the city’s unique scenery.
What is your choice preference?
* 2. You are a music lover and happen to have a sum of money (about 800 yuan). This amount is just enough for you to:
A. Attend a live concert of a singer you like.
B. Purchase a speaker/audio system you like.
What is your choice preference?
3. You go to a commercial entertainment center for leisure on the weekend. You have 200 yuan of pocket money, and you can choose to:
A. Spend your time and money buying goods to take home, such as clothes, snacks and drinks, books, etc.
B. Spend your time and money on experiential activities, such as watching a movie, bowling, karaoke, or other entertainment.
What is your choice preference?
Note: * indicates reverse scoring.
(1 = “Strongly prefer A”, 2 = “Prefer A”, 3 = “Somewhat prefer A”, 4 = “No clear preference”, 5 = “Somewhat prefer B”, 6 = “Prefer B”, 7 = “Strongly prefer B”).

Appendix A.2. Study 2—Experiential Consumption Preference Scenarios

Scenario 1:
Please imagine you are on a business trip to Hong Kong. After completing your tasks, you have an afternoon of free time. Due to limited time, you can only choose one activity:
A. You can choose to shop at a famous shopping mall in Hong Kong, where you can buy many items you want.
B. You can choose to visit a famous tourist attraction in Hong Kong, where you can experience the city’s unique scenery.
What is your choice preference?
* Scenario 2:
You are a music lover and happen to have just enough money to:
A. Attend a live concert.
B. Buy a pair of headphones of the same value.
What is your choice preference?
Scenario 3:
You go to a commercial entertainment center for leisure on the weekend. You have 200 yuan of pocket money, so you can choose to either spend the time and money on purchasing goods to take home, or on experiential activities such as watching a movie, bowling, karaoke, or other entertainment.
A. Strongly inclined to purchase goods.
B. Strongly inclined to purchase experiences.
What is your choice preference?
* Scenario 4:
You go to a park for sightseeing during a holiday and participate in a lucky draw held by the park. You win a voucher, which allows you to:
A. Enjoy 30 min of free play on any of the park’s attractions.
B. Pick a product of equal value at the park’s supermarket.
What is your choice preference?
* Scenario 5:
You happen to have a sum of money (about 500 yuan), which is just enough for you to:
A. Get a massage membership card and enjoy several massage services.
B. Purchase a massager of the same value.
What is your choice preference?
Scenario 6:
You visit a commercial entertainment center that is currently running a promotional event. You are selected as a lucky customer and can go to the silver jewelry store in the center to:
A. Choose a silver accessory you like as a souvenir (worth around 200 yuan).
B. DIY a silver accessory as a souvenir with staff assistance (worth around 200 yuan).
What is your choice preference?
* Scenario 7:
Please imagine you are visiting a science and technology exhibition in your city. You have some spare change, just enough to:
A. Try out the latest VR equipment for 30 min.
B. Buy a souvenir from the exhibition.
What is your choice preference?
Note: * indicates reverse scoring.
(1 = “Strongly prefer A”, 2 = “Prefer A”, 3 = “Somewhat prefer A”, 4 = “No clear preference”, 5 = “Somewhat prefer B”, 6 = “Prefer B”, 7 = “Strongly prefer B”).

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Jtaer 20 00238 g001
Figure 1. Theoretical framework.
Figure 1. Theoretical framework.
Jtaer 20 00238 g001
Table 1. Mediation effect analysis of Study 1.
Table 1. Mediation effect analysis of Study 1.
Dependent VariableEffectBootSE95%LLCI95%ULCI
Measured by scale0.00200.00120.00010.0049
Measured by situational scenarios0.00170.0013−0.00020.0047
Table 2. Mediation effect analysis of study 2.
Table 2. Mediation effect analysis of study 2.
Dependent VariableEffectBootSE95%LLCI95%ULCI
Positive self-presentation0.15950.07540.01480.3059
Authentic self-presentation0.17090.09650.00280.3646
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Zou, Y.; Zhang, S.; Wang, Y. Digital Selves and Curated Choices: How Social Media Self-Presentation Enhances Consumers’ Experiential Consumption Preferences. J. Theor. Appl. Electron. Commer. Res. 2025, 20, 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030238

AMA Style

Zou Y, Zhang S, Wang Y. Digital Selves and Curated Choices: How Social Media Self-Presentation Enhances Consumers’ Experiential Consumption Preferences. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research. 2025; 20(3):238. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030238

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zou, Yun, Shengqi Zhang, and Yong Wang. 2025. "Digital Selves and Curated Choices: How Social Media Self-Presentation Enhances Consumers’ Experiential Consumption Preferences" Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research 20, no. 3: 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030238

APA Style

Zou, Y., Zhang, S., & Wang, Y. (2025). Digital Selves and Curated Choices: How Social Media Self-Presentation Enhances Consumers’ Experiential Consumption Preferences. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 20(3), 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030238

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