Dark Triad Traits and Intention to Exaggerate Online Reviews among Muslim Social Media Users: Does Islamic Religiosity Matter?
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Abstract
The rapid growth of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has increased the influence of online reviews on consumer decision-making while also creating opportunities for consumers to exaggerate their consumption experiences. Although previous studies have extensively examined fake reviews and unethical online behavior, limited attention has been given to review exaggeration based on its underlying personality factors. Given Indonesia's status as the world's largest Muslim-majority country, where religious values are expected to shape ethical online communication, this study investigates the effects of Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy) on consumers' intention to exaggerate online reviews. It examines whether Islamic religiosity moderates these relationships. Data were collected through an online survey of 503 Muslim social media users in Indonesia and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that machiavellianism and psychopathy positively influence consumers' intention to exaggerate online reviews, whereas narcissism has no significant effect. Contrary to expectations, Islamic religiosity does not significantly moderate the relationships between Dark Triad traits and review exaggeration intention. These findings suggest that manipulative and callous personality characteristics are stronger predictors of review exaggeration than self-enhancement motives, while general religious commitment may be insufficient to regulate ethically ambiguous forms of digital communication. This study extends the Dark Triad and electronic word-of-mouth literature by identifying review exaggeration as a distinct form of deceptive online communication and provides directions for future research on the role of more nuanced religious orientations in shaping ethical consumer behavior.
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