Preparing for a crisis: examining the influence of fear and anxiety on consumption and compliance

Abstract

Purpose This research aims to examine the unique emotional distress experienced during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It explores the role of fear and anxiety, what fueled it and how fear and anxiety impacted consumption and behaviors of conformity and compliance. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory assessment of the emotions and behaviors of individuals during the early part of the coronavirus outbreak (early March 2020) was conducted by sending a questionnaire to a national panel (n = 42). The insight offered from these individuals, in conjunction with prior literature, provided the basis for the development of a conceptual model that was tested using survey methodology (n = 691). Findings Both exploratory and empirical research indicate that ruminative thoughts were positively related to feelings of fear and anxiety, whereas trust in leadership was negatively related to fear and anxiety. Feelings of fear and anxiety were also associated with purchasing in large quantities, in compliance with guidelines to slow the spread of the virus and the management of negative feelings through consumption. Practical implications Important insight for marketers and public policymakers in how fear and anxiety might be both tempered and mitigated during emergencies is offered. Originality/value This research provides new insight into what fuels fear and anxiety during a pandemic and investigates how fear and anxiety impacts consumption and behaviors of conformity and compliance.

Panic Buying and Consumption Displacement during COVID-19: Evidence from New Zealand

“…In the short-term fear and anxiety, for example, prompt consumers to take action in the face of an imminent threat. These negative emotions also cause cognition and attention deployment, which can sway individuals toward focusing on immediate needs and protect themselves against future harm (Kemp et al 2021). From a social learning theory perspective, people learn by observing the behaviors of others around them and gauge from their reactions the seriousness of a crisis (Arafat et al 2020a(Arafat et al , 2020b.…”

“…However, there are substantial variations in the patterns of consumer expenditure during and between lockdowns both between and within countries. Spending is affected both by restrictions on consumer mobility and threats of impending government-imposed lockdowns (Chronopoulos et al 2020;Hall et al 2020;Kemp et al 2021). Overall information regarding consumer response to pandemic interventions provides valuable short and long-term perspectives for government policy making during economic and health crises and also assists in disaster preparedness and management.…”

The interaction of social influence and message framing on children’s food choice

“…The above review shows that while studies often focused independently on the influence of compliance (e.g., Kemp et al, 2021;Milgram, 1974) or conformance (e.g., Lee et al, 2010;Thürmer et al, 2020) on human behaviour, more clarity is needed regarding how the two influences could coexist, such that one influence may reinforce or attenuate the other. One such environment is the classroom, where school children may be exposed to compliance influence from teachers, in concurrence with conformance influence from their peers.…”

Impacts of Covid‐19 pandemic on consumer behavior in Turkey: A qualitative study

“…Research concerning consumer behavior during COVID‐19 has also increased. While prior research regarding the relationship between the pandemic and consumer behavior is mostly quantitative (Ahmed et al, 2020; Baker et al, 2020; Deng et al, 2020; Güney & Sangün, 2021; Hall et al, 2020; Islam et al, 2021; Kemp et al, 2021; Kim, 2020; Laato et al, 2020; Li et al, 2020; Milaković, 2021; Prentice et al, 2020; Szymkowiak et al, 2021), few of them are qualitative (Belk, 2020; Naeem, 2020; Naeem & Ozuem, 2021). Impacts of COVID‐19 on unusual purchases (Laato et al, 2020), overall consumption (Baker et al, 2020; Belk, 2020; Kim, 2020; Kirk & Rifkin, 2020; Sheth, 2020), food consumption (Güney & Sangün, 2021), prosumption (Lang et al, 2020), stockpiling (Hall et al, 2020), panic buying (Ahmed et al, 2020; Hall et al, 2020; Islam et al, 2021; Naeem & Ozuem, 2021), impulse buying (Ahmed et al, 2020; Deng et al, 2020; Islam et al, 2021; Li et al, 2020; Naeem, 2020), online shopping (Belk, 2020; Hall et al, 2020), and retailing (Grashuis et al, 2020) are examined in the literature.…”