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How Does a Public Health Emergency Motivate People’s Impulsive Consumption? An Empirical Study during the COVID-19 Outbreak in China

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  • Mo Li

    (School of International, Jilin University of Finance and Economics, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Taiyang Zhao

    (School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Ershuai Huang

    (Business School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Jianan Li

    (Business School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

Abstract

Impulsive consumption is a typical behavior that people often present during public health emergencies, which usually leads to negative outcomes. This study investigates how public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, affect people’s impulsive consumption behavior. Data from 1548 individuals in China during the COVID-19 outbreak was collected. The sample covered 297 prefecture-level cities in 31 provincial administrative regions. The research method included the use of a structural equation model to test multiple research hypotheses. The study finds that the severity of a pandemic positively affects people’s impulsive consumption. Specifically, the more severe the pandemic, the more likely people are to make impulsive consumption choices. The results indicate that both perceived control and materialism play mediating roles between the severity of a pandemic and impulsive consumption. As conclusions, people’s impulsive consumption during public health emergencies can be weakened either by enhancing their perceived control or by reducing their materialistic tendency. These conclusions are valuable and useful for a government’s crisis response and disaster risk management.

Suggested Citation

  • Mo Li & Taiyang Zhao & Ershuai Huang & Jianan Li, 2020. "How Does a Public Health Emergency Motivate People’s Impulsive Consumption? An Empirical Study during the COVID-19 Outbreak in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5019-:d:383721
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    Cited by:

    1. Jimin Xiong & Zhanfeng Tang & Yufeng Zhu & Kefeng Xu & Yanhong Yin & Yang Xi, 2021. "Change of Consumption Behaviours in the Pandemic of COVID-19: Examining Residents’ Consumption Expenditure and Driving Determinants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Wei Song & Taiyang Zhao & Ershuai Huang, 2022. "How Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect People’s Willingness to Pay for Health in the Short and Long Term? A Longitudinal Study during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Da Jiang & Shuang Liu & John Chi-Kin Lee & Liman Man Wai Li, 2021. "Do People Become More or Less Materialistic during Disasters? The Mediating Roles of Mortality Salience and Gratitude," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Fei Huang & Wenqiu Guo, 2023. "Rise of Mental Sub-Health Consumers: Examining the Compulsive Buying Behavior in the Post-COVID-19 Era," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    5. Wenhuan Yu & Lin He & Xianhao Lin & Thomas Freudenreich & Tao Liu, 2022. "Irrational Consumption during the COVID-19 Period," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, April.
    6. Kim, Sanghee & Chang, Hyo Jung (Julie), 2023. "Mechanism of retail therapy during stressful life events: The psychological compensation of revenge consumption toward luxury brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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