The personality puzzle: a comprehensive analysis of its impact on three buying behaviors

This study aimed at examining the role of personality traits in impulsive buying, compulsive buying, and panic buying simultaneously during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of the third confinement announced by the Portuguese government, 485 Portuguese answered in this study, mean age of 41.9 years (min = 18, max = 84; SD = 12.9), and 29.9% were men. Analyzes were carried out to investigate the association of Big Five’s personality factors with impulsive buying, compulsive buying, and panic buying. Results showed that the three buying behaviors under study have significant and positive correlations between them, and they also correlate with different personality traits. The association of each Big Five factor on buying behaviors differed. While conscientiousness was negatively and openness was positively associated with impulsive buying, conscientiousness was negatively associated with compulsive buying, agreeableness was positively associated with panic buying, and neuroticism correlated positively with all consumer behaviors. Understanding the personality traits that contribute to the development of a disorder may provide valuable insight into preventive measures and effective treatment approaches for some debilitating disorders. This study opens ways for investigating impulsive buying and compulsive buying by relating them to panic buying. It discusses the three different buying behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and future consumer research directions involving other variables

“Just do it”: motivações hedônicas para compras predizem o comportamento do consumidor para além da personalidade

The present study aimed at testing hedonic shopping motivations’ explanatory power for the impulsive buying tendency and specific buying behaviors. It also presents psychometric properties of the adapted Brazilian version of the Hedonic Shopping Motivations (HSM) scale. This scale assesses six factors of hedonic motives for shopping: Adventure shopping, gratification shopping, role shopping, value shopping, social shopping, and idea shopping. After the translation process, 429 adults (Mage = 34.5; 73,7 % women) completed the instrument. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the six-factor model was the best fit for the data, the same as the instrument’s original version. The factors also showed satisfactory reliability indices. Although we found significant correlations between hsm and the Big Five Factors, these correlations were only weak. Conversely, we found moderate positive correlations between the adventure, gratification, and idea factors of the hsm scale and impulsive buying. The instrument showed satisfactory evidence of validity, indicating the scale’s reliability for use in Brazil. The results also indicated that the hsm scale predicted specific purchase behaviors and impulsive buying beyond the Big Five. This study expands our understanding of individual differences in purchasing behaviors, especially by showing that gratification is the best predictor of impulsive buying.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo probar el poder explicativo de las motivaciones hedónicas de compra para la tendencia impulsiva de compra y los comportamientos específicos de compra, y así presentar las propiedades psicométricas de la versión adaptada brasileña de la escala de Motivaciones Hedónicas de Compra (HSM). Esta escala evalúa seis factores de motivos hedónicos de compra: compras de aventura, compras de gratificación, compras de rol, compras de valor, compras sociales y compras de ideas. Tras el proceso de traducción, 429 adultos (Medad = 34,5; 73,7 % mujeres) completaron el instrumento. Los análisis factoriales confirmatorios indicaron que el modelo de seis factores era el que mejor se ajustaba a los datos, al igual que la versión original del instrumento. Los factores también mostraron índices de fiabilidad satisfactorios. Aunque encontramos correlaciones significativas entre el hsm y los Cinco Grandes Factores, estas correlaciones eran solo débiles. Por el contrario, encontramos correlaciones positivas moderadas entre los factores aventura, gratificación e idea de la escala hsm y la compra impulsiva. El instrumento mostró pruebas satisfactorias de validez, lo que indica la fiabilidad de la escala para su uso en Brasil. Los resultados también indicaron que la escala hsm predijo comportamientos de compra específicos y compra impulsiva, más allá de los Cinco Grandes. Este estudio amplía nuestra comprensión de las diferencias individuales en los comportamientos de compra, especialmente al mostrar que la gratificación es el mejor predictor de la compra impulsiva.O presente estudo teve como objetivo testar o poder preditivo das motivações hedônicas de compra para a tendência de compra impulsiva e comportamentos específicos de compra; além de apresentar propriedades psicométricas da versão brasileira adaptada da escala Hedonic Shopping Motivations (HSM). Essa escala avalia seis fatores de motivos hedônicos para compras: comprar por aventura, comprar por gratificação, comprar por papel social, comprar por valor, comprar por socialização e comprar por novidade. Após o processo de tradução, 429 adultos (Midade = 34,5; 73,7 % mulheres) responderam ao instrumento. As análises fatoriais confirmatórias indicaram que o modelo de seis fatores foi o que melhor se ajustou aos dados, como a versão original do instrumento. Os fatores também apresentaram índices de confiabilidade satisfatórios. Embora tenhamos encontrado correlações significativas entre a hsm e os Cinco Grandes Fatores de personalidade, tais correlações foram fracas. Por outro lado, encontramos correlações positivas moderadas entre os fatores aventura, gratificação e novidade da escala hsm e a compra impulsiva. O instrumento apresentou evidências satisfatórias de validade, indicando a adequação da escala para uso no Brasil. Os resultados também indicaram que a escala hsm predisse comportamentos específicos de compra e compra impulsiva para além dos Cinco Grandes Fatores. Esse estudo amplia nossa compreensão das diferenças individuais nos comportamentos de compra, especialmente ao mostrar que a gratificação é o melhor preditor de compra impulsiva

To be VIP or not to be VIP: The Influence of the Group of Friends on the Impulse Purchase of Music Festival Tickets

Music festivals are becoming increasingly important in the provision of experiential consumption, with significant economic and social impacts. The study aims to understand what the Portuguese think about VIP areas at music festivals, and to identify which variables predict the tendency for impulse buying of tickets to the VIP area. The study used the mixed method, using an experimental and correlational design, applying qualitative (content analysis) and quantitative (statistical analysis) approaches in the analyses. 359 Portuguese (278 women and 81 men) participated in the study. The results revealed that more negative than positive characteristics are attributed to the VIP areas and that the approval of the group of friends leads the Portuguese to increase their impulse buying, with positive emotions mediating this relationship. It was established that normative influence and status consumption are associated with impulse buying. This study allows us to look at music festivals as phenomena of social integration and acceptance, contributing to a broader knowledge of this type of commerce. The study brings relevant insights for managers, especially in experiential marketing, by highlighting the importance of findings on the consumption of collective experiences

Climate anxiety, wellbeing and pro-environmental action: correlates of negative emotional responses to climate change in 32 countries

This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing

The globalizability of temporal discounting

Economic inequality is associated with preferences for smaller, immediate gains over larger, delayed ones. Such temporal discounting may feed into rising global inequality, yet it is unclear whether it is a function of choice preferences or norms, or rather the absence of sufficient resources for immediate needs. It is also not clear whether these reflect true differences in choice patterns between income groups. We tested temporal discounting and five intertemporal choice anomalies using local currencies and value standards in 61 countries (N = 13,629). Across a diverse sample, we found consistent, robust rates of choice anomalies. Lower-income groups were not significantly different, but economic inequality and broader financial circumstances were clearly correlated with population choice patterns

Climate anxiety, pro-environmental action and wellbeing: antecedents and outcomes of negative emotional responses to climate change in 28 countries

This study explored the correlates of climate anxiety in a diverse range of national contexts. We analysed cross-sectional data gathered in 32 countries (N = 12,246). Our results show that climate anxiety is positively related to rate of exposure to information about climate change impacts, the amount of attention people pay to climate change information, and perceived descriptive norms about emotional responding to climate change. Climate anxiety was also positively linked to pro-environmental behaviours and negatively linked to mental wellbeing. Notably, climate anxiety had a significant inverse association with mental wellbeing in 31 out of 32 countries. In contrast, it had a significant association with pro-environmental behaviour in 24 countries, and with environmental activism in 12 countries. Our findings highlight contextual boundaries to engagement in environmental action as an antidote to climate anxiety, and the broad international significance of considering negative climate-related emotions as a plausible threat to wellbeing

COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey dataset on psychological and behavioural consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak

This N = 173,426 social science dataset was collected through the collaborative COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey – an open science effort to improve understanding of the human experiences of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic between 30th March and 30th May, 2020. The dataset allows a cross-cultural study of psychological and behavioural responses to the Coronavirus pandemic and associated government measures like cancellation of public functions and stay at home orders implemented in many countries. The dataset contains demographic background variables as well as measures of Asian Disease Problem, perceived stress (PSS-10), availability of social provisions (SPS-10), trust in various authorities, trust in governmental measures to contain the virus (OECD trust), personality traits (BFF-15), information behaviours, agreement with the level of government intervention, and compliance with preventive measures, along with a rich pool of exploratory variables and written experiences. A global consortium from 39 countries and regions worked together to build and translate a survey with variables of shared interests, and recruited participants in 47 languages and dialects. Raw plus cleaned data and dynamic visualizations are available