Post-Caesarean Stress and Consumer Behavior: Examining Compulsive Buying in the Shadow of Social Influence

Abstract

This paper examines stress and compulsive buying Behavior in relation to post-caesarean women in Pakistan, with Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model being the theoretical framework. The conceptualization of stress factors comprised of external stimulus, compulsive buying as the Behavioral reaction and social influence as the moderator that affected the relationship between stress and consumption. Women who had experienced caesarean deliveries were sampled (n=368) and descriptive and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS 28 and structural equation modelling using SmartPLS 4. The findings indicated that compulsive buying Behavior was anticipated and predicted by stress significantly and positively thus confirming that psychological distress impairs self-regulation and dependence on maladaptive coping mechanisms. The major impact of social influence on compulsive buying was also observed to be direct, thus giving significance to cultural and social expectations in consumer Behavior. However, most pronouncedly, social influence mediated the relationship between stress and compulsive purchasing whereby women who had high stress and who had high social influence were the most susceptible to compulsive consumption. These results confirm the literature, accepting the studies that noted the significance of stress and the effect of social influence, and denying studies that deemphasized the effect of stress and social influence or concentrated on personality traits. The study adds value to theory as it expands the SOR model and gives cross-cultural evidence on consumer Behavior besides giving practical implications to the healthcare providers, policymakers, families, and marketers. It emphasizes the necessity of psychological assistance during the postpartum care and the hazards of predatory marketing at the expense of vulnerable women.