Social and Psychological Aspects

Not Everyone Will Experience the Pandemic in the Same Way: The Mediating Role of COVID-Stress in the Relationship between the Big 5 Personality Traits and Shopping Intentions

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Abstract

Conducting a survey with the national population of the U.S. (n = 490) and analyzing the data through structural equation modeling we found that extraversion and neuroticism positively influence COVID-stress and conscientiousness negatively influences COVID-stress. Higher the degree of extraversion and neuroticism higher would be the COVID-stress which in turn would encourage intentions for hedonic and panic buying. On the contrary, higher the degree of conscientiousness lower would be the COVID-stress minimizing the intentions for hedonic and panic buying. However, a target market exhibiting a higher degree of conscientiousness may not indulge in intentions for hedonic and panic buying because that might be perceived as unethical and selfish when products have limited availability due to the pandemic. None of the personality traits had an indirect influence on need-based buying.

Keywords: COVID-stress, Big five personality traits, shopping intentions

How to Cite:

Chakraborty, S. & Sadachar, A., (2022) “Not Everyone Will Experience the Pandemic in the Same Way: The Mediating Role of COVID-Stress in the Relationship between the Big 5 Personality Traits and Shopping Intentions”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 79(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.16318