Abstract
Against the backdrop of the widespread use of social media, the behavior of "showing off luxury" as a new form of conspicuous consumption in the digital age has gradually become a phenomenon of widespread concern in both academic circles and society. Based on the theory of behavioral economics and combined with theories such as signal theory and social comparison, this paper conducts a systematic analysis of the motivations, mechanisms, and social impacts of "showing off luxury" behavior. The study first sorted out the current status of related research at home and abroad, pointing out that the existing achievements mostly remain at the level of offline conspicuous consumption or phenomenon description, lacking in-depth exploration of the symbiotic mechanism between signal transmission and status anxiety, and also ignoring the role of platform differences and feedback loops in promoting the sustainability of "showing off luxury". Based on this, this paper reveals the unique dynamic mechanism of "showing off luxury" behavior in the social media environment: high visibility and strong interactivity amplify the effect of signal transmission, frequent social comparisons intensify status anxiety, and signal investment and comparison pressure form a mutually reinforcing closed loop, driving individuals into an irrational consumption cycle. The framework analysis of behavioral economics shows that signal theory, social comparison, loss aversion, and herd mentality jointly act on the behavior of "showing off luxury", making it continuous and diffusive. Finally, this paper puts forward policy suggestions: On the one hand, education and psychological guidance should be provided to help consumers make rational decisions and express themselves healthily; On the other hand, enterprises and platforms should optimize their strategies, avoid overpushing luxurious content, and create a diverse and positive online ecosystem. At the same time, the social level needs to reflect on the risks of the "visibility economy" and advocate rational consumption and a healthy culture. The research not only enriches the cross-disciplinary theory of digital consumption and behavioral economics but also provides practical inspiration for building a harmonious and sustainable online consumption culture.
References
Djafarova, E., & Trofimenko, O. (2019). ‘Instafamous’: Credibility and self-presentation of micro-celebrities on social media. Information, Communication & Society, 22(10), 1432-1446.
Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), 311.
Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioral correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841-1848.
Skulsuthavong, M., & Wang, Z. (2025). Displaying luxury on social media: Chinese university students’ perception of identity, social status, and privilege. Online Media and Global Communication, 4(2), 316-342.
Sundie, J. M., Kenrick, D. T., Griskevicius, V., Tybur, J. M., Vohs, K. D., & Beal, D. J. (2011). Peacocks, Porsches, and Thorstein Veblen: Conspicuous consumption as a sexual signaling system. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(4), 664-680.
Taylor, D. G., Lewin, J. E., & Strutton, D. (2011). Friends, fans, and followers: Do ads work on social networks? Journal of Advertising Research, 51(1), 258-275.
Veblen, T. (1899). The Theory of the Leisure Class. Macmillan.
Wang, Y., & Griskevicius, V. (2014). Conspicuous consumption, relationships, and rivals: Women’s luxury products as signals to other women. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(5), 834-854.
Wu, Q., Gu, L., Zhang, M., & Liu, H. (2024). Understanding dual effects of social network services on digital well-being and sustainability: A case study of Xiaohongshu (RED). Sustainability, 16(15), 6709.