The influence of socially responsible marketing on university students' purchasing decisions: a perception study

Abstract

This study examines the perception of Socially Responsible Marketing (SRM) among university students and its impact on purchasing decisions. A descriptive quantitative design was employed, using a structured survey administered to 341 students from a private university in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico, in 2025. The objectives were to assess familiarity with SRM, attitudes toward companies implementing it, and its influence on purchase intention. The results indicate a positive perception of SRM (M=4.15), favorable attitudes toward responsible companies (M=4.04), and a high purchase intention (M=4.18), with significant correlations among these variables (r=0.403-0.767, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis explained 21.9% of the variance in purchase intention, highlighting attitude as a key predictor (B=0.307, p=0.003). Mediation analysis confirmed that attitude partially mediates the relationship between perception and purchase intention (indirect effect: B=0.235, 95% CI [0.150, 0.320]), while social awareness did not moderate this relationship. These findings underscore the importance of attitudes in consumer behavior and provide implications for corporate SRM strategies.