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COVID-19 restrictions and consumers’ psychological reactance toward offline shopping freedom restoration

Author

Listed:
  • Naeem Akhtar
  • Muhammad Nadeem Akhtar
  • Muhammad Usman
  • Moazzam Ali
  • Umar Iqbal Siddiqi

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic threats and its subsequent restrictions on people's freedom, social interaction, closures of workplaces and shopping stores have caused public psychological reactance. In response, the study develops and tests a conceptual framework, which unveils the effects of perceived choice hesitation and perceived choice confidence on consumers’ psychological reactance. It also corroborates two bipolar behavioral outcomes of consumers’ psychological reactance— choice freedom satisfaction and resistance to persuasion. We employ the moderating role of anticipated worry and trust in government in strengthening the psychological reactance and final behavioral outcomes, respectively. Data collected from the country of origin of COVID-19 pandemic indicated the positive effects of antecedents on psychological reactance, which negatively affected choice freedom satisfaction and positively to resistance to persuasion. Anticipated worry and trust in government positively moderated these relationships. Findings extend the literature on psychology, service management, and consumer behavior, and suggest to government policymakers and store managers.

Suggested Citation

  • Naeem Akhtar & Muhammad Nadeem Akhtar & Muhammad Usman & Moazzam Ali & Umar Iqbal Siddiqi, 2020. "COVID-19 restrictions and consumers’ psychological reactance toward offline shopping freedom restoration," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(13-14), pages 891-913, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:servic:v:40:y:2020:i:13-14:p:891-913
    DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2020.1790535
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    Cited by:

    1. Devki A. Patel & Verena Graupmann & Joseph R. Ferrari, 2023. "Reactance, Decisional Procrastination, and Hesitation: A Latent Class Analysis of Clutter Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Kawasaki, Tomoya & Wakashima, Hisayuki & Shibasaki, Ryuichi, 2022. "The use of e-commerce and the COVID-19 outbreak: A panel data analysis in Japan," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 88-100.
    3. Robert Paul Jones & Mohammad Alimohammadirokni, 2024. "Patrons Reaction to Fear in Different Dining Contexts: A Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory Exploration," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-24, August.
    4. Sit, Kokho Jason & Ballantyne, Erica E.F. & Gorst, Jonathan, 2022. "Profiling shoppers’ coping behaviours during a pandemic crisis: A regulatory focus perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    5. Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki & Gelareh Abooali & Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali & Narimah Samat, 2021. "Vendors’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards International Tourists in the Malaysia Night Market: Does the COVID-19 Outbreak Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-20, February.
    6. Tsung-Hung Lee & Fen-Hauh Jan, 2022. "How Does Personality Affect COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Risk Perceptions and Behaviors? Evidence from Segment Analysis in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Jiang, Yangyang & Stylos, Nikolaos, 2021. "Triggers of consumers’ enhanced digital engagement and the role of digital technologies in transforming the retail ecosystem during COVID-19 pandemic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Gianina Chirugu, 2022. "Analysis of the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on elderly people," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 28(1), pages 658-667, February.
    9. Siddiqi, Umar Iqbal & Akhtar, Naeem & Islam, Tahir, 2022. "Restaurant hygiene attributes and consumers’ fear of COVID-19: Does psychological distress matter?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    10. Long Chen & Xiaokun Liu & Peng Jing, 2023. "Do Unprecedented Gasoline Prices Affect the Consumer Switching to New Energy Vehicles? An Integrated Social Cognitive Theory Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-25, May.
    11. Sigitas Urbonavicius & Karina Adomaviciute – Sakalauske, 2023. "Learning from Pandemic Periods: Elements of the Theory of Behavioral Transformation," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 35(2), pages 251-266.
    12. Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih & Fatheya Moustafa, 2022. "Panic Food Purchasing amid COVID-19 Pandemic: Does the Impact of Perceived Severity, Anxiety and Self-Isolation Really Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    13. Sun, Huiqian & Jing, Peng & Wang, Baihui & Cai, Yunhao & Ye, Jie & Wang, Bichen, 2023. "The effect of record-high gasoline prices on the consumers’ new energy vehicle purchase intention: Evidence from the uniform experimental design," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    14. Li, Boying & Xue, Chenyang & Cheng, Yue & Lim, Eric T.K. & Tan, Chee-Wee, 2023. "Understanding work experience in epidemic-induced telecommuting: The roles of misfit, reactance, and collaborative technologies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    15. Wojciech Trzebiński & Radosław Baran & Beata Marciniak, 2021. "Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Make Consumers Shop Alone? The Role of Emotions and Interdependent Self-Construal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, June.
    16. Akhtar, Naeem & Ittefaq, Huma & Siddiqi, Umar Iqbal & Islam, Tahir & Hameed, Zahid & Kuzior, Aleksandra, 2024. "Zero-COVID and retail: Using multi-wave data to examine the role of perceived risk and psychological factors in shopping abandonment," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    17. Julia Koch & Britta Frommeyer & Gerhard Schewe, 2020. "Online Shopping Motives during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Lessons from the Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-20, December.
    18. Ahmet Yağmur Ersoy & Metin Saygılı & Mustafa İlteriş Yılmaz & Mustafa Emre Uslu & İhsan Hakan Selvi, 2022. "Consumer Sentiment in Turkey, from Closure to the New Normal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-24, July.
    19. Dash, Ganesh & Alharthi, Majed & Albarrak, Mansour & Aggarwal, Shalini, 2024. "Saudi millennials’ panic buying behavior during pandemic and post-pandemic: Role of social media addiction and religious values and commitment," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    20. Islam, Tahir & Pitafi, Abdul Hameed & Arya, Vikas & Wang, Ying & Akhtar, Naeem & Mubarik, Shujaat & Xiaobei, Liang, 2021. "Panic buying in the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-country examination," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    21. Elena Rusalca VELICU & Ovidiu Andrei Cristian BUZOIANU & Carol Cristina GOMBOS & Ana Maria BOLAHAN, 2022. "Consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic on hygiene purchase behavior," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(1(630), S), pages 83-92, Spring.
    22. Ittefaq, Huma & Akhtar, Naeem & Siddiqi, Umar Iqbal & Islam, Tahir & Kuzior, Aleksandra, 2024. "The betrayal puzzle: Unraveling the connection between inauthenticity, corporate wrongdoing and brand betrayal with avoidance and reparation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    23. Ali Raza & Maryam Khokhar & Reyna Esperanza Zea Gordillo & Faisal Ejaz & Tahir Saeed Jagirani & Fodor Zita Júlia & Md Billal Hossain, 2024. "Economic Gains and Losses for Sustainable Policy Development of Crude Oil Resources: A Historical Perspective of Indian Subcontinent," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(2), pages 642-655, March.

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