Survey study reveals subjective norms and self-enhancement directly drive energy bar purchases in athletes, highlighting the power of social influence over intrinsic motivation.
This research aimed to examine the factors influencing athletes’ purchase intentions for energy bars by extending the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) with constructs from Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Data were collected from 354 athletes in Thailand utilizing non-probability purposive and snowball sampling, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for analysis. The results revealed that subjective norms and self-enhancement demonstrate significant direct effects on purchase intentions, while the hypothesized indirect pathways via attitude and intrinsic motivation were not statistically supported. Marketers can leverage these insights by formulating targeted strategies that emphasize systemic endorsements from coaches and trainers, premium identity branding, and public group alignment to effectively engage this niche audience and foster purchasing intentions.
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Hengboriboon et al. (2026) studied this question.
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