Examining Susceptibility to Influence, Social Media Engagement, and Cosmetic Spending Behavior

Amid rapid technological transformations, understanding how consumers respond in digital marketing environments is increasingly critical for marketing managers. Using Cialdini's principles of influence, this exploratory research examines the intersection of psychological susceptibility to influence tactics, digital engagement in social media, and consumer spending on cosmetic products. Additionally, this study seeks to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms that make certain consumer groups exceptionally responsive to influence tactics. In an online survey of 201 females, two influence tactics were found to significantly predict social media engagement and consumer behavior. Specifically, younger consumers demonstrated a greater susceptibility to social proof, and non-Caucasians were more influenced by authority. This study advances our understanding of susceptibility to persuasion by integrating multiple psychological influence tactics into a single behavioral model and foregrounding the ethical implications of targeting consumers who may be more vulnerable to persuasion.