A Cultural Perspective on Social Media Engagement and Purchase Intentions: Theoretical Insights into the Role of Masculinity and Femininity

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of social media platforms has fundamentally transformed brand-consumer dynamics, positioning social media engagement as a vital predictor of consumer behaviour. This conceptual paper investigates the relationship between social media engagement and consumer purchase intention, with a specific focus on the moderating role of Hofstede’s cultural dimension of masculinity versus femininity. While existing literature often assumes a uniform impact of digital interaction, this study argues that cultural values surrounding achievement, assertiveness, and nurturing, significantly alter how consumers interpret digital marketing stimuli. The study adopts a systematic content analysis approach, synthesizing theoretical insights and empirical evidence from reputable scholarly databases published between 2017 and 2025. This methodology enables the identification of patterns, theoretical gaps, and the synthesis of a robust conceptual framework grounded in Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and Cultural Dimensions Theory. Findings from the synthesis indicate that while social media engagement; comprising frequency of interaction, time spent, and brand-related content interactions positively drives purchase intention, the efficacy of specific messaging is culturally contingent. The study concludes that a "one-size-fits-all" digital strategy is inadequate in a globalized market. It recommends that marketers adopt culturally tailored engagement strategies and invest in training for marketing teams regarding cultural psychology to align brand narratives with the deep-seated values of diverse audience segments.