The connection between Instagram and materialism and its relationship with the objectification of others and system justification beliefs

Over the last few years, the use of social media has been increasing exponentially. At the same time, several studies have reported an intensification of materialistic tendencies, especially among the youth, those who use social media the most. Although several studies have already investigated the consequences of their use, more is needed to know about the association between social media and materialism. Instagram is one of the most widely used social media in the world, not only to share personal content but also to advertise products and services, enabling users themselves to earn money through the publication of commercial content. Through a correlational study (N = 480), we verified the link between the use of Instagram and materialism. Additionally, we proposed the existence of a connection between Instagram, materialism, the objectification of others, and system justification beliefs. Furthermore, the analysis of the direct and indirect effects showed that the link between the use of Instagram and both the objectification of others and system justification beliefs is mediated by materialism. Moreover, using Instagram to achieve economic benefits can play a fundamental role. Finally, the implications of these results are discussed. Given the negative impact of materialism, objectification of others, and system justification in perpetuating socioeconomic inequalities, this study provides significant new insights into examining the relationship between these factors and social media usage.