The Evolution of Consumer Behavior Research: Mapping Global Trends, Conceptual Structures, and Research Frontiers (2020–2025)

Abstract

Consumer behavior research has undergone substantial transformation in response to digitalization, changing consumption practices, sustainability concerns, and the growing integration of technology into consumer decision-making. This study aims to map the development of consumer behavior research during 2020–2025 by identifying publication characteristics, geographical contributions, conceptual structures, thematic clusters, and emerging research areas. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 4,925 journal articles retrieved from the Scopus database and filtered according to selected subject areas, publication stage, document type, and open-access status. Descriptive analysis was combined with science mapping using VOSviewer to examine keyword co-occurrence, network relationships, temporal patterns, and research density. The findings demonstrate that consumer behavior research is highly interdisciplinary, with Social Sciences and Business, Management and Accounting representing the dominant subject areas. The United States, China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India constitute the leading contributing countries. The keyword network identifies four broad research orientations: digital and marketing-driven consumption; sustainable and environmentally responsible consumption; psychological, demographic, and health-related behavior; and regulated or risk-related consumption. The findings further indicate that established concepts such as perception, purchase intention, perceived value, and consumer psychology remain central while becoming increasingly connected to electronic commerce, social media, influencer marketing, live-streaming commerce, and digital marketing. Sustainability also occupies a prominent position through themes including recycling, food waste, green products, willingness to pay, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. Relatively recent research attention is evident around emerging digital and immersive technologies, including artificial intelligence, metaverse, augmented reality, and gamification. Overall, the study demonstrates that consumer behavior research is evolving from a predominantly purchase-oriented perspective toward a more integrated framework encompassing digital transformation, sustainability, psychological processes, social interaction, and technological mediation. The findings provide a science-mapping foundation for developing future interdisciplinary research agendas in contemporary consumer behavior.