The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison in the Relationship between Attitudes Regarding Digital Media Influencers and Fashion Clothing Involvement
Authors
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Ayesha Muhammad Akram
Lecturer, Government Graduate College (Women), Satellite Town, Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1586-6154
- Zainab Batool Alumni, Institute of Professional Psychology, Bahria University Islamabad, Karachi Campus, Sindh, Pakistan.
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Hasrat Babul
Lecturer, Department of Media Studies, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4201-7605
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-iii.314Keywords:
Attitudes Regarding Digital Media Influencers, Fashion Clothing Involvement, Upward Social ComparisonAbstract
The present study addressed the gap in the indigenous literature of Pakistan by examining the relationship between attitudes regarding digital media influencers and fashion clothing involvement among youth. The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational design to evaluate the relationships between the variables at a single point in time and used a purposive sampling technique to recruit university students aged 18 to 34 years from Karachi, Gujranwala, and Quetta. Out of 280 individuals approached at universities, 214 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and completed the questionnaires. The study administered standardized questionnaires to the participants. The correlational results revealed significant relationships among the variables, whereas mediation analysis demonstrated that upward social comparison significantly mediated the relationship between attitudes regarding digital media influencers and fashion clothing involvement. More positive attitudes regarding digital media influencers were associated with greater upward social comparison, which, in turn, was associated with greater fashion clothing involvement.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ayesha Muhammad Akram, Zainab Batool, Hasrat Babul
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