Influencer Parasocial Trust and Purchase Intention Among Young Adult Social Media Users
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65166/9fdemj28Keywords:
source credibility, parasocial trust, purchase intention, social media influencers, Filipino university students, mediation analysisAbstract
Influencer marketing has become a dominant strategy for reaching young consumers, with source credibility widely theorized to shape purchase behavior through the psychological bonds followers form with influencers. However, evidence testing this mechanism specifically through parasocial trust, rather than parasocial interaction more broadly, remains limited within the Philippine context. This study examined whether perceived influencer credibility predicts purchase intention among Filipino university students, and whether this relationship is mediated by parasocial trust. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 250 currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students (aged 18–24) at a private university in Manila, Philippines, selected through purposive sampling. Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring perceived influencer credibility, parasocial trust, and purchase intention on 5-point Likert scales. Data were analyzed using simple linear regression and bootstrap-based mediation analysis (bias-corrected, 1,000 resamples). Results indicated that perceived influencer credibility did not significantly predict purchase intention (B = 0.050, p = .380) or parasocial trust (B = −0.012, p = .864), and parasocial trust did not significantly mediate the relationship between the two (indirect effect = −0.003, 95% CI [−0.038, 0.032]). Notably, parasocial trust independently and significantly predicted purchase intention (B = 0.244, p < .001) when credibility was controlled for. These findings depart from prior evidence supporting this mediation pathway in other national contexts, suggesting that generalized, non-influencer-specific measures of credibility may not reliably predict trust or purchase behavior among Filipino university students. The study contributes context-specific evidence to the influencer-marketing literature and highlights the need for more individuated measurement approaches in future research.
Downloads
References
An, G. K., Ngo, T. T. A., Tran, T. T., & Nguyen, P. T. (2024). Investigating the influence of social media influencer credibility on beauty product purchase behaviors: A case study from Vietnam. Innovative Marketing, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.21511/im.20(3).2024.21
Annisa, I. N., Sutiono, H., & Astuti, W. (2026). The influence of social media influencers on purchase intention for skincare products with brand trust as a mediating variable among Gen Z in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Strata International Journal of Social Issues. https://doi.org/10.59631/sijosi.v3i1.479
Anugraini, A. D., & Amalia, L. (2025). Pengaruh source credibility, trust, parasocial interaction, dan physical attractiveness terhadap purchase intention konsumen Gen Z. As-Syirkah: Islamic Economic & Financial Journal. https://doi.org/10.56672/y7rfw792
Ao, L., Bansal, R., Pruthi, N., & Khaskheli, M. B. (2023). Impact of social media influencers on customer engagement and purchase intention: A meta-analysis. Sustainability, 15(3), 2744. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032744
Ashraf, A., Hameed, I., & Saeed, S. A. (2023). How do social media influencers inspire consumers' purchase decisions? The mediating role of parasocial relationships. International Journal of Consumer Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12917
Ata, S., Arslan, H., Baydaş, A., & Pazvant, E. (2022). The effect of social media influencers' credibility on consumer's purchase intentions through attitude toward advertisement. ESIC Market. https://doi.org/10.7200/esicm.53.280
Atento, A. G. B., & Atento, R. G. O. (2026). Legacy retail under digital disruption: Strategic insights from National Book Store's omnichannel transition in the Philippines. Journal of Enterprise Strategy & Management Innovation, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/nny9z718
Atento, A. G., & Atento, R. G. (2025). A case study of Mercury Drug Corporation: Strategic adaptation to universal healthcare and digital disruption in the Philippines. International Journal of Health & Business Analytics, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/zhw7dd39
Atento, R. G., & Espelita, C. A. M. H. (2025). From community voice to marketing strategy: The feeder-school ecosystem as basis for a consumer-centered marketing framework. International Journal of Health and Business Analytics, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.65166/mt4em434
Atmaja, D. R. S., Wibowo, F., & S. (2025). The influence of parasocial relationship on purchase intention and factor analysis of parasocial relationship formation in the context of probiotic skincare marketing. Lex localis – Journal of Local Self-Government. https://doi.org/10.52152/801944
Ayu, A. D. S., Simanjuntak, D. A., Setianingrat, P., & Leonita, L. (2026). The effect of influencer marketing credibility and interactivity on makeup product purchase intention and behavior among female consumers aged 20–35 years. 2026 IEEE International Conference on Interdisciplinary Approaches in Technology and Management for Social Innovation (IATMSI), 4th, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/iatmsi68868.2026.11465575
Azhar, K. A., Shah, Z., Ahmed, H., & Iqbal, N. (2024). The effects of social media influencers' self-disclosure, source credibility, and parasocial relationships on brand trust and its consequences. Market Forces. https://doi.org/10.51153/mf.v19i1.652
Balaskas, S., & Yfantidou, I. (2026). Cross-national evidence on influencer-driven green choice: A moderated-mediation model of authenticity, parasocial ties, and greenwashing exposure. Frontiers in Communication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1764803
Balatero, M. V. (2026). Social media influencer attributes' impact on Generation Z Filipino consumers' perceived parasocial relationships and purchasing behavior. Ilomata International Journal of Management, 7(1), 438–459. https://doi.org/10.61194/ijjm.v7i1.1968
Balut, I. M., Baltazar, R. K., Fronda, M., Siador, K., Tandog, P. J. B., & Atento, R. G. (2026). Peer influence experiences and personal-social competencies among late adolescents: Evidence from a private higher education institution in the Philippines. International Journal of Behavioral and Social Analytics, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/magr2j66
Bassam, F. (2025). The influence of social media influencers on students' purchase intentions: Evidence from Instagram marketing in university communities. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management. https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i4.13645
Benosa, I. R., Atento, R. G. O., Martinez, V. C., Mendoza, J. M., Mesias, R. G., & Rivera, G. C. M. (2026). Value innovation through pre-arrival room customization: A Blue Ocean Strategy design for app-enabled hospitality personalization. Journal of Enterprise Strategy & Management Innovation, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/0h7xt639
Beylergil, S., & Demir, M. (2025). The rise of micro-social media influencers: Exploring their impact on university students' purchasing intentions. Alanya Akademik Bakış. https://doi.org/10.29023/alanyaakademik.1557415
Castillo, R. A., Jaramillo, C. Z., & Sy, L. (2022). The effectiveness of social media influencers in the cosmetic and skincare industry to the purchase intention of the Generation Z Filipinos. Journal of Business and Management Studies. https://doi.org/10.32996/jbms.2022.4.2.14
Dalangin, J. J. G., Arthur, J. M. B. M., Salvador, J. B. M., & Bismonte, A. B. (2021). The impact of social media influencers purchase intention in the Philippines. Jurnal Studi Komunikasi (Indonesian Journal of Communications Studies), 5(3). https://doi.org/10.25139/jsk.v5i3.3708
Dema, Y., Mutiarawati, E. V., & Billy, Y. L. (2025). The role of micro-influencers in social media marketing: A quantitative study on purchase intent using source credibility theory. Jurnal Ekonomi Perusahaan, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.46806/jep.v32i1.1424
Eik, E. K. S., Yao, L. Q., Vengasalam, R., Rothinam, N., & Naidu, S. (2026). Perception of Generation Z on the credibility of Instagram influencers: A case study on students' purchase intention. Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (MJSSH), 11(4). https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v11i4.3902
Espelita, C. A. M. H., Atento, A. G. B., & Atento, R. G. O. (2026). Social media marketing and enrollment intent among college-bound learners: Evidence from a private higher education institution in Region IV-A, Philippines. Journal of Enterprise Strategy & Management Innovation, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/bcn4pt87
Espelita, C. A. M., Atento, R. G., Rao, L. J., & Tian, Y. (2025). Understanding monetary policy: Student awareness, perceptions, and financial behaviors in the Philippine context. International Journal of Health & Business Analytics, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.65166/f7eayj47
Filieri, R., Acikgoz, F., Li, C., & Alguezaui, S. (2022). Influencers' “organic” persuasion through electronic word of mouth: A case of sincerity over brains and beauty. Psychology & Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21760
Garg, M., & Bakshi, A. (2024). Exploring the impact of beauty vloggers' credible attributes, parasocial interaction, and trust on consumer purchase intention in influencer marketing. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 235. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02760-9
George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference, 11.0 update (4th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.
Gunawardhana, K., & Bandara, B. (2026). The role of social media influencer credibility in shaping purchase intention in Sri Lanka's smartphone market: The mediating effect of brand trust. 10th Student Research Conference in Marketing (SRCM) 2026. https://doi.org/10.64920/srcm26128
Horton, D., & Wohl, R. R. (1956). Mass communication and para-social interaction: Observations on intimacy at a distance. Psychiatry, 19(3), 215–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.1956.11023049
Khan, S., Zaman, I., Khan, M. I., & Musleha, Z. (2022). Role of influencers in digital marketing: The moderating impact of follower's interaction. GMJACS. https://doi.org/10.59263/gmjacs.12.01.2022.218
Leite, F. P., & De Paula Baptista, P. (2021). The effects of social media influencers' self-disclosure on behavioral intentions: The role of source credibility, parasocial relationships, and brand trust. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 30, 295–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2021.1935275
Li, J., Hosain, M. S., & Zaman, F. U. (2025). Parasocial relationship, brand attitude, and purchase intention: A dual mediation model. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 25, 124–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332667.2025.2508024
Liu, X., & Zheng, X. (2024). The persuasive power of social media influencers in brand credibility and purchase intention. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02512-1
Marklen, D. R., Tan, P. L., & Hassim, N. (2025). Instagram influencers' source credibility on gadget product purchase intention among Indonesian Generation Z: The mediating role of parasocial interaction. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkmjc-2025-4101-08
Mya, C. C. K. E., Bhardwaj, R., Krishnasamy, H. N., Albakri, R., Senathirajah, A. R., & Haque, R. (2025). From posts to purchases: Insights into the influence of social media's influencers on retail consumers' purchase intention. Journal of Posthumanism. https://doi.org/10.63332/joph.v5i2.824
Nguyen, C., Nguyen, T., & Luu, V. (2022). Relationship between influencer marketing and purchase intention: Focusing on Vietnamese Gen Z consumers. Independent Journal of Management & Production, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.14807/ijmp.v13i2.1603
Ohanian, R. (1990). Construction and validation of a scale to measure celebrity endorsers' perceived expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. Journal of Advertising, 19(3), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.1990.10673191
Sabatini, G., & Prayudha, A. (2025). The influence of influencer marketing on consumer purchase intention of skincare products among university students. International Conference of Business and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.24034/icobuss.v5i1.666
Saad, M., Awad, A., Aziz, A. F., & Shma, T. R. (2025). Influencer marketing's impact on credibility and purchase intention: A study on University of Bisha students in Saudi Arabia. Innovative Marketing, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.21511/im.21(1).2025.26
Shaheen, A., Khataan, A., Awad, A., Eldin, A. Y. S., & Elnour, A. (2025). The role of influencer content value and credibility in purchase intention. Innovative Marketing, 21(3). https://doi.org/10.21511/im.21(3).2025.02
Singco, M. Y. A., Lopez, I. D. A., & Cabauatan, R. R. (2023). The Effect of Influencer Marketing on Purchase Intentions and Brand Attitude of Consumers in the Philippines. International Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management, 6(12), 50-62.
Sokolova, K., & Kefi, H. (2020). Instagram and YouTube bloggers promote it, why should I buy? How credibility and parasocial interaction influence purchase intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.011
Tam, N., & Thai, N. D. (2025). The impact of social media influencers on online purchase intention in Vietnam: The mediating role of trust. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.6.0625.2032
Tanpoco, M., Alonte, A., Nubla, C. A. D., De Arellano, D. M. R. B., Torres, R. P. F., Caminong, J., & Morales, R. R. L. (2023). Assessing the influence of source characteristics, psychological-related factors, and content attributes on purchase intention: The case of an international cosmetics company in the Philippines. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 4(9). https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.04.09.22
Teodosio, G. M., Atento, R. G., Boa, R. A., Malijan, A., Malolos, Q. A., Merciales, P. A., & Ricablanca, P. J. (2025). Creating a Blue Ocean for family-owned SMEs: Value innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability in the case of Ivan Color Paint Center. International Journal of Health & Business Analytics, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.65166/x4kqee91
Tripopsakul, S., & Hoonsopon, D. (2025). Influencer credibility, parasocial relationships, and product involvement in purchase intentions. Emerging Science Journal, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2025-09-04-021
Vu, V. C., Wang, S., Keating, B. W., & Chen, E. Y. (2024). Increasing social media stickiness through parasocial interaction and influencer source credibility. Australasian Marketing Journal, 33, 352–370. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241306130
Wahyudi, M., Rahmadhani, M. V., Mu'is, A., & Evelyna, F. (2025). The impact of short-form video marketing, influencer relatability, and trust signals on Gen Z's purchase intention. International Journal of Business, Law, and Education, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.56442/ijble.v6i1.1108
Xu, P., Cui, B., & Lyu, B. (2022). Influence of streamer's social capital on purchase intention in live streaming e-commerce. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.748172
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Andrea Gwyneth Atento, Dr. Ramon George Atento (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright of their articles but grant the International Journal of Health & Business Analytics (IJHBA) the right of first publication.
