Effects of Perceived Scarcity on COVID-19 Consumer Stimulus Spending: The Roles of Ontological Insecurity and Mutability in Predicting Prosocial Outcomes
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
The Journal of Consumer Affairs
Volume
56
Issue
3
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date
4-27-2022
First Page
1046
Last Page
1061
Abstract
In 2021, the United States government provided a third economic impact payment (EIP) for those designated as experiencing greater need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a particular focus on scarcity and ontological insecurity, we collected time-separated data prior to, and following, the third EIP to examine how these variables shape consumer allocation of stimulus funds. We find that scarcity is positively associated with feelings of ontological insecurity, which, interestingly, correlates to a greater allocation of stimulus funds toward charitable giving. We further find evidence that mutability moderates the relationship between ontological insecurity and allocations to charitable giving. In other words, it is those who feel most insecure, but perceive that their resource situation is within their control, who allocated more to charity giving. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory, policy-makers, and the transformative consumer research (TCR) movement.
Recommended Citation
Leary, R. Bret, Rhiannon Mesler, Bonnie J.K. Simpson, Matthew D. Meng, and William J. Montford (2022), "Effects of Perceived Scarcity on COVID-19 Consumer Stimulus Spending: The Roles of Ontological Insecurity and Mutability in Predicting Prosocial Outcomes," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 56(3), 1046-1061.
