Abstract

This paper aimed to explain the impact of American popular culture on Malaysian adolescents’ behaviours and also tried to investigate the impact of popular music as the prominent source of American popular culture. This was done to understand the influence of American popular culture on Malaysian adolescents’ consumption patterns. The research included conspicuous consumption as the dependent variable and the moderating effect of religiosity. A quota sample of 820 Malaysian late adolescents was used to access the relationship between American popular culture and conspicuous consumption with the moderating effect of religiosity. The results obtained show that role model, imitation and knowledge and consumerism are the dimensions of American popular culture and are related to conspicuous consumption. Furthermore, religiosity shows a significant moderating effect to the relationship.

Key words: American popular culture, adolescents, conspicuous consumption, religiosity.