The Impact of Short-Form Social Media on Spending Preferences and Instant Gratification Tendencies Among Young Adults

The increasing popularity of short-form social media platforms has transformed the way young adults engage with digital content, advertisements, trends, and consumer-related information. The rapid and engaging nature of such platforms may influence psychological processes associated with instant gratification and purchasing behaviour. The present study examined the relationship between short-form social media engagement, instant gratification tendencies, and buying and preference patterns among young adults aged 19–23 years.

The study employed quantitative, correlational research design. Data was collected from 142 participants using a self-reported questionnaire comprising 30 items across three domains: Online Activity Patterns, Instant Gratification Tendencies, and Buying and Preference Patterns. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize participants' responses, and Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis was conducted to examine relationships among the study variables.
The findings indicated that Online Activity Patterns demonstrated the highest mean score (M = 3.80, SD = 0.84), followed by Buying and Preference Patterns (M = 3.23, SD = 0.88) and Instant Gratification Tendencies (M = 3.17, SD = 0.96). Significant positive correlations were observed among all three study variables. Online Activity Patterns showed positive associations with Instant Gratification Tendencies (r = .681, p < .001) and Buying and Preference Patterns (r = .716, p < .001). The strongest positive association was observed between Instant Gratification Tendencies and Buying and Preference Patterns (r = .881, p < .001).
The findings suggest that greater engagement with short-form social media may be associated with stronger instant gratification tendencies and buying and preference patterns among young adults. While the study does not establish causal relationships, it contributes to the growing understanding of how digital media environments may be associated with consumer-related psychological tendencies and decision-making behaviours.