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Irrational Consumption during the COVID-19 Period

Author

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  • Wenhuan Yu

    (School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Lin He

    (School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Xianhao Lin

    (School of Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China)

  • Thomas Freudenreich

    (School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    Institute for International Marketing Management, Vienna University of Economics and Business, 1020 Vienna, Austria)

  • Tao Liu

    (School of Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350122, China)

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the world economy and has, most presumably, exerted a great deal of stress on citizens, in turn leading to the call for timely assessments of how this period might actually impact individuals at the level of everyday well-being and in their behaviors such as consumer decisions. Through one pilot study and two online survey studies, we tentatively investigated this latter question, and demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic may increase perceived stress and impair individuals’ sleep quality, which in turn impels their irrational consumption. This research provides preliminary evidence for the impact of the present pandemic on irrational consumption and contributes to the literature on stress and consumer behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5031-:d:798444
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tao Xu & Mengyuan Shao & Ruiquan Liu & Xiaoqin Wu & Kai Zheng, 2023. "Risk Perception, Perceived Government Coping Validity, and Individual Response in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, January.

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