Influence of the Emotion of Fear on Patterns of Consumer Behavior toward Dietary Supplements during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Consumer Habits
- Proactive purchasing with emphasis on health;
- Reactive health management;
- Stockpiling;
- Preparation for life in quarantine;
- Constrained living;
- Life in the new normal.
2.1. Can Fear Change Consumer Behavior Patterns?
2.2. Changes in Consumer Habits Conditioned by COVID-19
3. Dietary Supplements
4. Emotions
- Physiological changes caused by the autonomic nervous system (e.g., rapid breathing, an increased heart rate),
- Cognitive interpretation or evaluation,
- External signs or expressions (e.g., shaky hands, paleness of skin, red spots), and
- Behaviors or reactions to the experienced emotions.
- Behavioral reactions (eng approaching),
- Expressive reactions (eng smile),
- Physiological reactions (eng heart palpitations),
- Subjective feelings (eng a sense of fun).
4.1. Previous Research on Emotions
4.2. Influence of Emotions on Shopping
- Moving toward,
- Moving away from and
- Moving against.
- The intention to remove or undo the damage,
- Receiving help or support,
- Minimizing the outcome,
- Questioning the objective or doubling one’s efforts, depending on the emotion.
5. Research Methodology
- To research whether dietary supplement consumption was affected by the pandemic and how,
- To identify which emotions consumers are experiencing during the pandemic,
- To determine whether consumers are using dietary supplements more often during the pandemic,
- To determine why consumers use dietary supplements during the pandemic, i.e., to identify the emotional incentive to purchase and consume supplements,
- To find out what impact the lockdown has on the consumer, i.e., what differences in emotions have influenced the purchase of dietary supplements,
- To determine which emotions consumers are experiencing during and after using dietary supplements.
5.1. Discussion of Research Results
5.2. Limitations of Research and Contribution of Authors
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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n | % | |
---|---|---|
Sex | ||
Male | 104 | 40.5% |
Female | 153 | 59.5% |
Age Group | ||
16–25 | 30 | 11.70% |
26–35 | 75 | 29.20% |
36–45 | 83 | 32.30% |
46–55 | 48 | 18.70% |
56–65 | 17 | 6.6% |
66+ | 3 | 1.6% |
Completed Education | ||
Elementary school | 1 | 0.4% |
High school | 31 | 12.10% |
College | 45 | 17.50% |
Hihg school | 139 | 54.10% |
Master’s Degree | 32 | 12.5% |
Doctorate | 9 | 3.5% |
Number of Household Members | ||
1 | 44 | 17.10% |
2 | 61 | 23.70% |
3 | 62 | 24.10% |
4 | 70 | 27.20% |
5 | 20 | 7.8% |
Amount of Income | ||
−3999 | 85 | 33.1% |
4000–6999 | 22 | 8.6% |
7000–8990 | 34 | 13.2% |
9000+ | 43 | 16.7% |
Reliability Statistics | ||
---|---|---|
Cronbach’s Alpha | Cronbach’s Alpha Based on Standardized Items | No. of Items |
0.744 | 0.735 | 23 |
N | Range | Minimum | Maximum | Mean | Std. Deviation | Variance | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Statistic | Std. Error | Statistic | Statistic | ||
I spend more money on dietary supplements than usual during the pandemic | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.41 | 0.093 | 1.495 | 2.235 |
My usage of dietary supplements was greatly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.24 | 0.093 | 1.494 | 2.231 |
The COVID-19 pandemic made me fear for my health | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.83 | 0.083 | 1.327 | 1.760 |
The COVID-19 pandemic made me fear for the health of my loved ones | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4.32 | 0.066 | 1.054 | 1.110 |
The COVID-19 pandemic made me fear death | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.40 | 0.085 | 1.357 | 1.842 |
The COVID-19 pandemic made me feel powerless regarding matters of my own health | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.14 | 0.075 | 1.196 | 1.431 |
The COVID-19 pandemic made me feel indifferent toward matters of my health (I do not care whether I get sick) | 257 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1.86 | 0.078 | 1.258 | 1.582 |
Z-Test of the Hypothesis on Levels of Economic Possibility and Influences | |
---|---|
Hypothesis 0 p-value | 0.90 |
Significance Level | 0.05 |
Number of responses about low levels of economic possibility | 782 |
Sample proportion | 0.9524 |
Standard error | |
Test size Z | |
Upper critical value | 1.6449 |
p-value | 0.9263 |
The hypothesis is confirmed |
Lockdown | Consumption | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Pearson Coefficient | Correelation | Fisher’s z Test Difference in Correlations | Spermanov Coefficient Correlations | |
Buying dietary supplements | −0.155 ** | −0.149 ** | ||
Men Women | −0.179 ** | −0.111 ** | z = 1.02 | |
to 35 after 35 years years | −0.134 ** | −0.123 ** | z = 0.16 | |
A sense of security for Health Pandemic | −0.147 ** | −0.133 ** | ||
Men Women to 35 after 35 | −0.141 ** | −0.169 ** | z = 0.41 | |
−0.160 ** | −0.176 ** | z = −0.24 | ||
Self assessment of “Lockdown” | 0.273 ** | 0.299 ** | ||
Men Women | 0.289 ** | 0.288 ** | z = 0.02 | |
to 35 after 35 | 0.348 ** | 0.253 ** | z = 1.53 | |
Self assessment of fear of infection | 0.293 ** | 0.305 ** | ||
Men Women | 0.217 ** | 0.329 ** | z = 1.78 | |
To 35 after 35 | 0.291 ** | 0.285 ** | z = 0.10 |
Hypothesis | Relation Direction | Standardized Assessment (Beta Coefficient) | Standard Error | t-Value | p-Value | Hypothesis Confirmed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1 | Emotion of fear ⟶ Initiator of dietary supplement purchase | 0.392 | 0.127 | 4.515 | 0.00 ** | YES |
H2 | Emotion of fear during lockdown ⟶ Initiator of dietary supplement purchase | 0.385 | 0.104 | 3.467 | 0.00 ** | YES |
H3 | Attitude toward prominent consumption of dietary supplements ⟶ Positively correlated with the fear of the COVID-19 infection | 0.326 | 0.071 | 4.183 | 0.00 ** | YES |
H4 | Linear combination of variables (fear of the disease, fear of death or infection) ⟶ A significant increase in consumption of dietary supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic | 0.319 | 0.137 | 4.253 | 0.00 ** | YES |
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Vuković, D.; Jurič, B.; Krnjak, I. Influence of the Emotion of Fear on Patterns of Consumer Behavior toward Dietary Supplements during the COVID-19 Pandemic. J. Risk Financial Manag. 2022, 15, 257. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15060257
Vuković D, Jurič B, Krnjak I. Influence of the Emotion of Fear on Patterns of Consumer Behavior toward Dietary Supplements during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management. 2022; 15(6):257. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15060257
Chicago/Turabian StyleVuković, Dijana, Boris Jurič, and Iva Krnjak. 2022. "Influence of the Emotion of Fear on Patterns of Consumer Behavior toward Dietary Supplements during the COVID-19 Pandemic" Journal of Risk and Financial Management 15, no. 6: 257. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15060257
APA StyleVuković, D., Jurič, B., & Krnjak, I. (2022). Influence of the Emotion of Fear on Patterns of Consumer Behavior toward Dietary Supplements during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 15(6), 257. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15060257