Prosocial responses to global crises: Key influences of religiosity and perceived control

Abstract

Through three studies, we examine how religiosity explains why some consumers in the United States are more resistant toward engaging in prosocial responses than others in response to global crises (specifically, a pandemic) and what can be done to change this. Specifically, Study 1 shows that consumers with higher levels of religiosity exhibit lower global crisis concern, because they feel less of a sense of personal control over the crisis, which leads to reduced prosocial responses. Study 2 generally replicates these effects by priming religiosity and showing that these religiously primed consumers have a lower perceived sense of control and view prosocial responses as not as beneficial, thereby reducing participation likelihood. Study 3 then shows that marketing messages can be used to improve higher religiosity consumers' perceived sense of control over a global crisis, leading to more positive prosocial responses and retailer attitudes.

COVID-19-related stressful experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among college students in China: A moderated mediation model of perceived control over the future and empathy

“…Such a prosocial reaction would be beneficial to emotional health (e.g., positive emotion enhancement, posttraumatic growth, and reduction of the risk for psychiatric symptoms) (Hu et al, 2021), and this positive impact would become salient when an individual has a high level of perceived control over the future (Batson, 1987; Chernyak-Hai & Halabi, 2018). Existing literature showed that individuals with high perceived control over the future were likely to exhibit various positive psychological qualities, such as hopefulness and optimism, that were determinants of prosocial behaviors (Minton et al, 2021). Considering the promotive influence of empathy in altruistic motivation, individuals with high perceived control over the future jointly with high empathy may be likely to benefit from prosocial reactions, which could reduce the risk of PTSD development.…”

Religiosity scales in marketing research

“…The latter seven-item scale was adapted from Pearlin et al (1981). Prior marketing research using religiosity scales has revealed a negative relationship between religiosity and one’s personal sense of control because religious scripture advocates for relinquishing control to God (Minton et al , 2022) but suggests a positive relationship between religiosity and belief in free will because religious scripture posits that people choose between good and evil actions in life (Zheng et al , 2016).…”

“…Consumer control beliefs were assessed with Zheng et al (2016) author-generated items for belief in free will (i.e. consumer beliefs about the control they have over consumption activities; three items, a = 0.51) and Minton et al (2022) perceived sense of control over life scale (i.e. consumer beliefs that they have control over things that happen in their lives; seven items, a = 0.89).…”