Will Buying Follow Others Ease Their Threat of Death? An Analysis of Consumer Data during the Period of COVID-19 in China

Wei Song, Xiaotong Jin, Jian Gao and Taiyang Zhao
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Wei Song: Business School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Xiaotong Jin: Business School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Jian Gao: School of Business and Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou 310018, China
Taiyang Zhao: School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: How to overcome informational conformity consumer behavior when faced with threats of death is a social problem in response to COVID-19. This research is based on the terror management theory, the need to belong theory and the materialism theory. It uses a theoretical model to determine the relationships between threats of death and informational conformity consumer behavior. From 1453 samples collected during outbreak of COVID-19 in China, we used a structural equation model to test multiple research hypotheses. The result shows that threats of death are positively associated with a need to belong, materialism and informational conformity consumer behavior. The need to belong and materialism can play a mediating role between threats of death and information conformity consumption behavior, and perceived social support can play a moderating role between threats of death and information conformity consumption behavior.

Keywords: threat of death; need to belong; materialism; perceived social support; informational conformity consumer behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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