The power of social pressure in steering society toward intentional boycotts of Israeli-related products

Purpose This study aims to explore the intention to boycott products related to Israel influenced by social pressure, attitude toward Israel and boycott tendencies to self-enhancement efforts. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from 50 prominent cities in Indonesia through the distribution of questionnaires, either online or in person. This study used two sampling techniques, judgmental sampling and snowball sampling, with 357 respondents. The authors use structural partial least squares modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the collected data. Findings The finding shows that all the proposed hypotheses are significant. Social pressure positively impacts attitudes toward boycotts and attitudes toward Israel. Furthermore, the attitude toward Israel positively impacted the attitude toward the boycott. Attitude toward boycott also significantly affects intention to boycott and self-enhancement. Finally, the authors found that self-enhancement positively impacts the intention to boycott. Practical implications This research acknowledges that marketers, policymakers and activists must include and apply social dynamics in developing strategies and communication methods regarding products, services and socio-political issues. Also, marketers could create campaigns that resonate with current social norms and utilize peer influence to gain support for their products or causes. Originality/value This study adds to the expanding body of work on consumer activism by clarifying the intricate interaction between social pressures, ideological beliefs and motivations for self-improvement. It stresses the importance of incorporating psychological and sociological perspectives into consumer intention to boycott theoretical frameworks.