Oluwasemilore Peace ADUMATI

In today’s digital marketplace, social media platforms have become dominant spaces where consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. This study investigates the impact of dark patterns on consumer buying behaviour in Benin City, focusing on manipulative design strategies such as urgency cues, perceived scarcity, social proof, hidden costs, and confirm shaming. Anchored in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Social Influence Theory (SIT), the study examines how these deceptive design elements influence consumers’ attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and purchase intentions within social media commerce.A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to active social media users in Benin City. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with the aid of SPSS software.Findings revealed that urgency cues, social proof, and perceived scarcity significantly influence consumer buying behaviour by creating psychological pressure and fear of missing out (FOMO). In contrast, hidden costs and confirm shaming had weaker effects but negatively impacted trust and post- purchase satisfaction. The study concludes that dark patterns effectively drive impulsive buying but undermine consumer autonomy and long-term loyalty.The research provides practical implications for digital marketers, UX designers, and policymakers, highlighting the need for ethical marketing practices and consumer protection policies in Nigeria’s growing social commerce environment. It also contributes to academic knowledge by integrating behavioural and ethical perspectives into the understanding of online consumer manipulation and decision-making processes.