ABSTRACT
Objectives: Several populations are at greater risk of severe COVID-19 due to inadequate responses to COVID-19 vaccines. Many of these individuals, and their caregivers, continue practicing varying degrees of social isolation to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection. Following the end of lockdowns, the behaviors and impacts of continued isolation on the quality-of-life of high-risk populations remain poorly understood. This study describes the main avoidance and protective behaviors and ongoing impacts experienced by adults and caregivers of adults at high-risk of severe COVID-19. Method(s): Four virtual focus groups (April-July 2022) were conducted with individuals at high-risk of severe COVID-19, or caregivers, recruited via a convenience sample from patient panels. A discussion guide of open-ended questions was prepared based on COVID-19 guidance documents and a literature review. For qualitative analyses, an inductive approach was used for behaviors, deductive for impacts. A pre-defined codebook was updated throughout as needed. Salient concepts were defined as those mentioned by >=30% of participants or in every focus-group session. Result(s): Fourteen participants were interviewed (12 patients, 2 caregivers). Participants highlighted continued behaviors greatly impacting their quality-of-life. Avoidance behaviors (staying home, avoiding bystanders, avoiding shopping facilities and gatherings, using delivery services, family protection [43%-64%]) and protective behaviors (masking [79%], vaccination [57%]) were reported. Negative impacts included family relationship impacts (71%), collapse of social relationships (57%), difficulties accessing healthcare (43%), anxiety, fear, loneliness and depression (36%-50%), and impacts on employment/finances (36%). Positive impacts included the advent of telehealth (57%) and recognizing family importance (36%). Lack of trust in authority (57%) and hoarding of medications (36%) were negative general impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted. Concepts reported by patients and caregivers were similar. Conclusion(s): Individuals at high-risk of severe COVID-19 and their caregivers maintained avoidance and protective behaviors similar to those reported during lockdowns. This study highlights the continued burden experienced by high-risk populations.Copyright © 2023
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has had a profound effect on consumer behaviour. This conceptual piece uses foraging theory, extending and developing the foraging ecology of consumption model, to examine consumer behaviour in a pandemic. It is argued that a foraging interpretation of consumer behaviour is more relevant in situations where supply is uncertain, risks are enhanced and resourcefulness is important. The paper assesses the underlying mechanisms of behaviour change-objectives, currency and constraints – from a foraging perspective and examines their role in changing both patch (retail) choices and which items are consumed (prey choices). Additionally, the paper examines temporal and social challenges within the pandemic. The paper considers whether pandemic consumption behaviours will remain as threat levels subside and concludes with suggestions for future research. © The Author(s) 2023.
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the association between bank liquidity hoarding (BLH) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a sample of U.S. banks and applying fixed effect estimators, we reveal that banks rack up liquidity assets and liabilities when the pandemic escalates. Our finding holds with alternative BLH and COVID-19 proxies and is further validated by falsification tests. Additional analysis reveals that BLH improves bank stability by reducing earnings volatility, non-performing loans and the propensity to go bankrupt. This study supports the existing literature on BLH and economic adversities and expands our understanding of BLH during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Many centralized matching markets are preceded by interviews between participants, including the residency matches between doctors and hospitals. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews in the National Resident Matching Program were switched to a virtual format, which resulted in a dramatic and asymmetric decrease in the cost of accepting interview invitations. We study the impact of an increase in the number of doctors' interviews on their final matches. We show analytically that if doctors can accept more interviews, but hospitals do not increase the number of interviews they offer, then no doctor who would have matched in the setting with more limited interviews is better off and many doctors are potentially harmed. This adverse effect is the result of what we call interview hoarding. We characterize optimal mitigation strategies for special cases and use simulations to extend these insights to more general settings.
ABSTRACT
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders such as hoarding disorder and their relationship to disorders or problems of sleep have not been fully elucidated. Many people with OCD have insomnia. Many also have a comorbid circadian rhythm disorder in the form of delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. This chapter reviews the standard diagnostic criteria for OCD and the evidence for various findings related to sleep and OCD. It touches on special populations such as children, pregnant women, and those with or impacted by COVID-19. The pathophysiology connecting OCD and sleep disorders is discussed as is treatment—both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
ABSTRACT
The present study explores the impact of religiosity during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020). The focus is on associations between religiosity, coronavirus anxiety, and preventive behavior. Participants were 1,182 U.S. citizens (50% female;20–83 years of age). Highly religious participants scored higher on the somatic component of coronavirus anxiety (emotionality) but lower on the cognitive component (worry). With regard to preventive behavior, highly religious participants reported more unreasonable behavior (e.g., avoiding 5G networks, hoarding toilet paper) than participants with low religiosity;at the bivariate level, there were no differences in reasonable behavior (e.g., physical contact avoidance, frequent handwashing). A comprehensive mediation model showed emotionality-mediated associations between religiosity and unreasonable behavior (positive indirect effect) but also worry-mediated associations between religiosity and reasonable behavior (negative indirect effect). The results remained stable when controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables. The discussion centers on religiosity, information processing, and rationality during a global health crisis situation.
ABSTRACT
This letter discusses the psychological underpinning of panic buying during the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemics and pandemics are the impending public health challenges whereby fear and panic are integral human responses historically. Panic behavior during disaster and calamities is an expected response they threaten the ability to cope and destroy the existing equilibrium. Many a time, people develop much-unexplained behavior which differs from country to country, culture to culture. Panic buying / increased buying behavior has been observed during public health emergencies since the ancient period. However, the exact psychological explanation responsible for it has not sought systematically. A perception of scarcity is strongly linked with the panic buying behavior and hoarding behaviors increases if the scarcity develops for the immediate necessaries. It also creates a feeling of insecurity which in turn activates another mechanism to collect things. Fear of scarcity and losing control over the environment, insecurity, social learning, exacerbation of anxiety, the basic primitive response of humans are the core factor responsible for the panic buying phenomenon. Further observational, as well as qualitative studies, are warranted to explore the psychological perspective of panic buying behavior during the crisis moments which in turn would help to find out preventive measures during the future moments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
PurposeThe Covid-19 pandemic has a strong effect on societies, business and consumers. Governments have taken measures to reduce the spread of the pandemic, such as social distancing and lockdowns. The latter has also resulted in a temporary closure of physical stores for "non-essential” retailing. Covid-19 thus has a profound impact on how people live. The period of relative isolation, social distancing and economic uncertainty changes the way we behave. New consumer behaviors span all areas of life, from how we work to how we shop to how we entertain ourselves. These shifts have important implications for retailers. This paper aims to discuss the potential structural effect on shopping behavior and retailing when Covid-19 measures are no longer needed and society moves back to a normal situation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper synthesizes empirical and conceptual literature on the consequences of COVID-19 and introduces a conceptual framework along with a set of predictions that can be investigated with empirical data.FindingsThis study suggests that Covid-19 shapes both consumer needs and behavior and how retailers respond to these changes. Moreover, it suggests that this will not only affect market outcomes (i.e. retail sales and market share online) but also firm outcomes (i.e. customer experience, firm sales) and importantly the competition between online and offline retailers.Originality/valueIn the conceptual framework, this study aims to advance knowledge on longer-term outcomes (vs immediate outcomes such as panic buying) and how COVID-19 is changing the competitive landscape of retail.
ABSTRACT
This paper investigates the impact of recent recessions on the origins of productivity growth. We show how business cycles affect productivity growth, with particular attention for the impact of job reallocation and labor hoarding. We find evidence that recessions induce productivity enhancing job reallocation in manufacturing but not in services industries and show that labor hoarding mitigates this cleansing effect of recessions. Furthermore, we show how entry and exit of firms and industry dynamics shape the evolution of aggregate productivity.Plain English SummaryDuring recessions, governments support firms via temporary unemployment programs to save jobs. A side effect is that job reallocation and exit of low-productive firms can be distorted, while such cleansing effects typically spur productivity growth. This paper investigates how recessions affect productivity growth, with particular attention for the impact of job reallocation and labor hoarding. We find evidence that recessions induce productivity enhancing job reallocation in manufacturing but not in services industries and show that labor hoarding mitigates this cleansing effect of recessions. Furthermore, we show how entry and exit of firms and industry dynamics shape the evolution of aggregate productivity. As many developed economies struggle with a slowdown in productivity growth, it is important that policy makers understand the impact of recessions on the micro origins of productivity growth and are aware of how temporary policies during recessions could affect long-term productivity growth.
ABSTRACT
The article argues that job retention should be a central aim and practice of human resource management (HRM). Set against the global COVID-19 crisis, theoretical insights are drawn from strategic HRM planning and the economics of 'labour hoarding' to consider the potential benefits of workforce furloughing. Furlough has been supported in the UK by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which represents a novel, but temporary, state-led shift from the UK's market-orientated restructuring regime. We argue that the withdrawal of state-financed furlough may mean a quick return in UK firms to the management of redundancy. Yet, if the crisis is to generate any benefit it must create the conditions for a more collaborative HRM that delivers for workers as well as business, with job retention as a core priority. While change in this direction will mean confronting deep-rooted challenges-such as job security, good work and worker voice-such change remains vital in creating better and healthier workplaces. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
"Doomsday prepping" is a phenomenon which involves preparing for feared societal collapse by stockpiling resources and readying for self-sufficiency. While doomsday prepping has traditionally been reported in the context of extremists, during the COVID-19 pandemic, excessive stockpiling leading to supply shortages has been reported globally. It is unclear what psychological or demographic factors are associated with this stockpiling. This study investigated doomsday prepping beliefs and behaviors in relation to COVID-19 proximity, demographics, coping strategies, psychopathology, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and personality in 384 participants (249 female) in an online study. Participants completed a number of questionnaires including the Post-Apocalyptic and Doomsday Prepping Beliefs Scale and a scale designed for the current study to measure prepping in the context of COVID-19. These were analyzed using ANOVAs, correlational, and mediation analyses to examine relationships between psychometric variables and stockpiling. Prepping beliefs and behaviors were higher in males than females and positively associated with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, IU, and traditional masculinity traits. Older age, male gender, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and traditional masculinity predicted unique variance in prepping. The relationship between gender and stockpiling was mediated by social learning (witnessing other people panic buying) and the perceived threat of COVID-19 (doomsday interpretations) while proximity and personal vulnerability to COVID-19 were non-significant. Results indicate that panic buying was influenced more by witnessing others stockpiling, personality, and catastrophic thinking rather than by proximity to danger. Education could target these factors in ongoing waves of the pandemic or future catastrophes.
ABSTRACT
Panic buying is a consumer behavior noted during environmental disasters and crises. Although it has been reported since the antique, episodes during COVID-19 attract global attention. Measurement of purchasing and stockpiling behavior is needed for the stakeholders to formulate prevention strategies. Panic buying behavior involves the interplay of biological, neurological, psychological, personality traits, negative emotional states, social interaction, and distrust. Due to its multifactorial interaction, transdisciplinary nature, close association with the disasters, and being short, sudden, and episodic pattern, measurement is challenging. The panic buying scale was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic from a Brazilian sample that has been validated and utilized in some other countries. The instrument needs to be tested with different populations across different countries to provide verification of reliability and validity. The development of new scales measuring various aspects of panic buying is required to tap the phenomenon more aptly. This chapter highlights the measurement aspects of panic buying on both individual and social levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Background: Lockdowns to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have triggered sharp increases in consumer purchasing behaviour, labelled panic buying. Panic buying has detrimental consequences as it leads to product shortages and disrupts supply chains, forcing retailers to adopt quotas to manage demand. Developing an understanding of the psychological correlates of panic buying can provide targets for public messaging aimed at curbing the behaviour. Objective: The study aimed to identify the psychological, individual difference, and demographic factors associated with increased purchasing of non-perishable, cleaning, and hygiene products during COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design (N = 790) with online survey measures administered to community members in Australia during April and May 2020. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Results: Structural equation models revealed that 1) attitudes, subjective norms, and risk perceptions predicted increased purchasing of non-perishable products;2) attitudes, risk perceptions, social anxiety sensitivity, and the non-impulsivity facet of trait self-control predicted increased purchasing of hygiene products;and 3) attitudes and risk perceptions predicted increased purchasing of cleaning products. Conclusion: Findings provide an understanding of the factors that were associated with panic buying during COVID-19 lockdowns in Australia. Future studies should investigate whether messages designed to influence risk perceptions, attitudes, and subjective norms are effective in curbing the behaviour. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
As the pandemic continues to spread across the world, the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its recurrence pose challenges for pandemic control in all countries worldwide. The present study examines the mediating role of political trust in the relationship between risk perception and pandemic-related behaviors (preventive behaviors and hoarding behaviors), and the moderating effect of self-efficacy on this relationship. The responses of 827 Chinese residents revealed that political trust plays a mediating role in the relationship between risk perception and pandemic-related behaviors. The relationship between risk perception and political trust was significant for individuals with low self-efficacy, while it became weaker for those with high self-efficacy.
ABSTRACT
The worldwide disaster caused by COVID-19 and its variants has changed the behavior and psychology of consumers. Panic buying and hoarding of various commodities continue to emerge in our daily life. Meanwhile, many scholars have focused on the causes of panic buying and hoarding of physical products like daily necessities and food during the outbreak of COVID-19. In fact, the phenomenon of panic buying and digital hoarding of paid social Q&A and other digital content products is very prominent, both in the outbreak period of COVID-19 epidemic and the current coexistence stage. However, the existing literature lacks empirical research to explore this phenomenon, and the psychological mechanism behind it has not been clearly revealed. Therefore, at the current stage of coexistence with COVID-19, based on the SOBC framework, we developed a theoretical model and explored the causes of panic buying and digital hoarding in paid social Q&A. The data collected from 863 paid social Q&A users in China are empirically tested. The results show that the characteristics of paid social Q&A (usefulness, ease of use, professionalism and value) can cause emotional contagion among platform users, activate their willingness to pay, and finally lead to digital hoarding and panic buying behavior of COVID-19 co-existence stage. In addition, the sensitivity to pain of payment moderates the relationship between emotional contagion and willingness to pay. Compared with the spendthrifts, the tightwads are more willing to pay. The conclusions will have positive significance for improving the retail service of digital content platform and promoting the consumption of digital content.
ABSTRACT
Individuals with obsessive compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs), including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder), excoriation (skin-picking) disorder, and hoarding disorder, suffer from distressing or impairing obsessive preoccupation and/or time-consuming compulsive behaviors. OCRDs are often severe, chronic, and associated with significant psychiatric comorbidity and functional impairment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be efficacious for all the OCRDs. However, most individuals with an OCRD do not receive CBT, and of those who do, not all respond or respond fully to treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened the chasm between those who need mental health care and access to clinical services. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have emerged over the past two decades as a solution to the access to care gap, and acceptance of digital solutions was catalyzed by the pandemic. DMHIs have the potential to address unmet mental health needs by offering scalable, low-stigma, cost-effective solutions. This paper reviews current evidence-based DMHIs for OCRDs and describes areas for future research.
ABSTRACT
Panic buying is a consumer behavior noted during environmental disasters and crises. Although it has been reported since the antique, episodes during COVID-19 attract global attention. Measurement of purchasing and stockpiling behavior is needed for the stakeholders to formulate prevention strategies. Panic buying behavior involves the interplay of biological, neurological, psychological, personality traits, negative emotional states, social interaction, and distrust. Due to its multifactorial interaction, transdisciplinary nature, close association with the disasters, and being short, sudden, and episodic pattern, measurement is challenging. The panic buying scale was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic from a Brazilian sample that has been validated and utilized in some other countries. The instrument needs to be tested with different populations across different countries to provide verification of reliability and validity. The development of new scales measuring various aspects of panic buying is required to tap the phenomenon more aptly. This chapter highlights the measurement aspects of panic buying on both individual and social levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Grandfather rights require airlines to operate at least 80 % of their slots, if they are to keep them in the next scheduling period. To prevent losing slots, the airlines may operate slot-rescue flights, an airline strategy called slot hoarding. We model strategies of a monopolistic airline which chooses between long-haul and short-haul flights at a slot-coordinated airport. In cases of a binding use-it-or-lose-it rule, we observe a bias in the airline route network in favor of slot-rescue flights on short-haul distances. Slot-rescue flights reduce airline profits, but raise consumer surplus and airport profits. The overall effect of slot-rescue flights on welfare, however, remains ambiguous. Recently, slot hoarding and its climate impact have received considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. We show that the environmental effects of slot-rescue flights are asymmetric. The climate damage of slot hoarding in the EU is reduced by the EU ETS, whereas CORSIA is rather ineffective.
ABSTRACT
During the COVID-19 pandemic, food waste caused by excessive hoarding has accounted a large proportion of the total food waste in urban Chinese households, which indicates that reducing food hoarding has become key to managing household food waste. This study therefore explored the behavioral mechanisms underlying excessive food hoarding among citizens. Based on a sample set of 511 respondents surveyed in Beijing, Hefei, and Guiyang in July 2022, a PLS-SEM model was conducted using SmartPLS 3.0 software to simulate the decision-making process of food hoarding. The following results were found. First, among the households with hoarding, 66.37% had some degree of food waste. Second, hoarding preference was the direct predictor of hoarding behavior, which means that hoarding behavior can be effectively controlled by regulating preferences. Third, group influence including homology consistency and social network support, as well as psychological panic, both enhanced citizens' hoarding preference and induced hoarding behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to weaken group influence and try to help citizens overcome panic. Finally, food supply information release can not only alleviate citizens' psychological panic and weaken group influence, but also block the transformation of preference into behavior. The above results are of great importance for the design of management policies for food waste caused by irrational hoarding during the pandemic.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Inconsistencies have been identified in the three-factor structure and item loadings of the most commonly used self-report hoarding screening tool, the Saving Inventory - Revised (SI-R), which assesses difficulty discarding, clutter and acquisition. The current study aimed to confirm the factor structure of the SI-R using congeneric modelling, and evaluate the construct and content validity of this measure. METHODS: 139 participants with self-identified hoarding completed the SI-R. Congeneric structural equation modelling was then performed to validate the SI-R factor structure. RESULTS: The three-factor structure of the SI-R was confirmed as a valid, reliable and good fitting model. However, the difficulty discarding and clutter subscales were required to covary. CONCLUSIONS: The SI-R was confirmed as an appropriate screening tool for hoarding severity; however, revision of item wording may improve content validity. Future research could consider exploring the relationships between a range of hoarding-related constructs and the differential endorsement of SI-R subscales. LIMITATIONS: As data were collected during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, panic buying and hoarding-related acquiring behaviours may have been exacerbated. In addition, the diagnostic status of participants was not verified, despite the inclusion of individuals endorsing clinically significant hoarding symptoms.