Impact of Customer’s Social Media Dependence and Social Influence on Trust Cognition and Purchase Behaviour

Abstract

As digital platforms become more common, people are using social media more and more to find out about products, read reviews, and make buying choices. Peer relationships, brand messages & how trustworthy people think internet material is all affect this dependency. Understanding how these social elements shape trust and purchase decisions is vital for marketers aiming to optimize online strategies. This study explores how customers’ dependence on social media and social influence (SI) affect their trust cognition (TC) & purchase behavior (PB). Using quantitative methods, data was collected from 141 respondents through structured questionnaires. The study examines the two key dimensions—social media dependence (SMD) & social influence (SI)—and their impact on trust cognition (TC) & actual purchasing decisions. Comparative analysis & appropriate statistical tests (t-test, correlation, regression) were used to test the hypothesis & establish relationships. The findings suggest a significant positive relationship between social media engagement as well as consumer trust, which in turn impacts purchase behavior (PB).