From lifestyle to citizenship: Social influence and political consumerism in egocentric networks

Political consumerism has become a widespread form of civic engagement, yet the social mechanisms driving boycotting and buycotting remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates how perceived citizenship norms within individuals’ egocentric networks are associated with their own civic orientations and subsequent participation in consumer activism. Using a national survey of 543 U.S. adults reporting on 1822 social ties, we integrate social learning and social influence theories to examine how network environments cultivate engaged and dutiful citizenship norms. Results show a strong correlation between perceived network norms and individuals’ internalized norms, with engaged citizenship norms significantly predicting both boycott and buycott behaviors. Dutiful norms show no significant association. Structural equation modeling reveals that network influence operates indirectly through internalized engaged norms rather than direct social pressure. The study concludes with practical implications for advocacy groups and public relations practitioners, emphasizing how value-aligned messaging and network-based mobilization strategies can more effectively activate consumer activism.