The Rise of the Deinfluencers: Perceived Similarity and Anticipated Emotions in Advocating Mindful Consumption on Social Media

ABSTRACT As society's interest in mindful consumption and sustainability grows, deinfluencers are emerging as an impactful force in reshaping consumer behavior. Unlike traditional influencers, deinfluencers discourage the purchase of indulgent, ineffective, or overpriced products while advocating for simplified, sustainable and ethical lifestyles. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study develops a model to examine the relationships between homophily toward deinfluencers, anticipated pride and guilt, mindful consumption intentions, willingness to pay a premium for sustainably‐produced offerings and engagement with the deinfluencer's content. The findings of four studies support the proposed model. Study 1 employs an experimental design to show that consumers perceive greater attitudinal and value homophily with deinfluencers compared to traditional influencers. Study 2 uses structural equation modeling to demonstrate that perceived homophily activates both anticipated pride and guilt, which in turn significantly influence mindful consumption intentions. Study 3 builds on these findings by testing the direct path from homophily to mindful consumption intentions and examining how mindful consumption intentions predict willingness to pay and engagement intentions with deinfluencer content. To address the intention‐behavior gap, Study 4 incorporates actual mindful consumption behavior, confirming that the proposed pathways translate into real‐world action. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on influencer marketing and anti‐consumption advocacy by highlighting the role of deinfluencers in shaping consumer intentions and demonstrating their role in fostering both mindful consumption intentions and behavior.