Online Shopping Behavior and COVID 19 Related Stress
Among Emerging Adults in Zamboanga City
A Thesis Paper presented to
The Faculty of the School of Liberal Arts
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
By
Abuan, Rhogine Rose C.
Din, Angelica T.
Muksan, Priya O.
April 2023
The Faculty of the School of Liberal Arts of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University
accepts the thesis titled: Online Shopping Behavior and COVID 19 Related Stress
Among Emerging Adults in Zamboanga City submitted by Rhogine Rose C. Abuan,
Angelica T. Din, and Priya O. Muksan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Jayson V. Sabdilon
Chair
Cecile B. Simbajon, R.N., MP
Joseph A. Climaco, Ph.D.
Member
Member
Ailyn S. Absara
Adviser
Robin A. De Los Reyes, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Liberal Arts
Date: April 2023
i
The thesis titled: Online Shopping Behavior and COVID-19 Related Stress
Among Emerging Adults in Zamboanga City," submitted by Rhogine Rose C. Abuan,
Angelica T. Din, and Priya O. Muksan, has been examined and is recommended for oral
defense.
Jayson V. Sabdilon
Ailyn S. Absara
Thesis Coordinator
Adviser
Robin A. De Los Reyes, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Liberal Arts
ii
APPROVAL SHEET FOR STYLE
SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
ATENEO DE ZAMBOANGA UNIVERSITY
Name of Student/s:
Rhogine Rose C. Abuan
Angelica T. Din
Priya O. Muksan
Department:
Psychology Department
Thesis Title:
Online Shopping Behavior and COVID-19 Related Stress Among Emerging Adults
in Zamboanga City
Approved by:
Lalaine I. Buentipo
Style Reader
iii
ABSTRACT
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way people live and
shop. With physical distancing measures in place, online shopping has become an essential
means of acquiring goods and services. This shift has been particularly significant for
emerging adults, who are often tech-savvy and accustomed to digital technologies. In this
context, it is crucial to explore the online shopping behavior of emerging adults and the stress
they may experience in this process. during the pandemic in Zamboanga City. A total of 100
people participated in the study, of whom 50 were college students between the ages of 18 and
24, and another 50 were working emerging adults between the ages of 25 and 35. All of the
respondents are presently based in Zamboanga City. Analysis of the data indicated that any
rise or reduction in COVID-19-related stress levels cannot explain an increase or decrease in
online shopping behavior. Moreover, data also revealed that college students were more
stressed than working emerging adults during the pandemic. In terms of buying habits online,
the researchers discovered that there is no difference in terms of gender. Working adults were
found to have more purchases than college students. Many young individuals suffer from stress.
Although online shopping has been typically associated with relieving stress, the current
findings of the study reveal that among emerging adults, their online shopping habits do not
appear to have a significant relationship with their experience of stress during the COVID-19
pandemic. These results can help emerging adults, particularly students, build awareness
about online shopping behavior.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed,
assisted, encouraged, and provided feedback to complete this research paper. We would
like to thank our panelists the most for their thoughts and recommendations to enhance
our study.
We would also like to give special thanks to the people who gave their time,
patience, and support throughout the duration of our paper.
Mrs. Ailyn Sabdilon-Absara, our thesis adviser, for her extensive knowledge
and talents in this field of research that aided us in completing this final phase of our
research.
Mr. Paulino Acebes, our statistician, for sharing your statistical abilities and
assistance, which helped us improve our statistical analysis skills.
Our parents, who provided us with financial assistance, encouragement, fortitude,
and bravery during the school year.
We would also like to express our profound appreciation to our friends for their
unwavering support, prayers, and words of encouragement for our research.
Finally, we thank God/Allah for providing us with hope, direction, and the
fortitude to achieve our desires and goals in life.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
APPROVAL SHEETS.. ......................…………………………………………….……........i
ABSTRACT…….....…………………………...…………………………………...….…... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………….....…………...…………………….…………..…….. v
CHAPTER
I.
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study.........................................................................................1
Review of Related Literature...................................................................................2
Statement of the Problem................................................,,,,..................................16
Hypothesis.............................................................................................................16
Theoretical Framework..........................................................................................17
Conceptual Framework..........................................................................................23
Significance of the Study......................................................................................25
Scope and Limitations of the Study......................................................................27
Definition of Terms...............................................................................................27
II.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design.....................................................................................................29
Respondents and Sampling Design.......................................................................29
Data Gathering Procedure .....................................................................................29
Ethical Considerations...........................................................................................30
Instruments............................................................................................................30
Data Analysis.........................................................................................................32
III.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..........................................................................33
IV.
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary...............................................................................................................40
Conclusion ...........................................................................................................41
Reccomendations .................................................................................................41
REFERENCES....................................................................................................................44
APPENDICES
Appendix A……………………………………………...…………………………….50
Appendix B…………………………………………………………………………….54
Appendix C…………………………………………………………………………….57
Appendix D…………………………………………………………………………….58
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Gender Distribution in Online Shopping Behavior…………….…………… 33
Table 2: Significant Difference in Online Shopping Behavior of Respondents by
Groups……………………………………………………………………….36
Table 3: Pearson Product Moment Correlation for Significant Relationship Between
COVID - 19 stress levels and Online Shopping Behavior …………………38
Table 4: Descriptive Statistics and Significant Differences in Stress Levels of the
Respondents.………………………………………………………………..39
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Theory of Planned behavior by Icek Azjen (1985)……………………….17
Figure 2: An illustration of the (3) three elements of the study…………………….23
Figure 3.1: Frequency of Online Shopping Transactions Per Month of College
Students……………………………………………………………………..34
Figure 3.2: Frequency of Online Shopping Transactions Per Month of Working
Adults………………………………………………………………………35
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In a recent post from the Facebook online page of the American Psychological
Association dated July 27,2022, the author Shrikant noted that people are likely to be
involved in online shopping when they are stressed. Intrigued by this statement, the
researchers wanted to explore the phenomenon of stress and online shopping.
Stress is a part of our lives. But it has been noted, especially during the pandemic,
that the experience of stress has significantly impacted our daily way of life. One of those
that are impacted by this stress in the pandemic are the students taking online classes.
Clinical observations suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, university
students exhibit stress-related responses to fear of contagion and to limitations of
personal and relational life (Zurlo et al., 2020). As a response to this stress, many ss
strategies become salient. One of the most common coping behaviors adapted by the
younger generations, especially the emerging adults, is online shopping. As the COVID19 pandemic has lasted longer in both developed and developing countries, online
shopping has increased. Several studies have explored the online shopping of students
across the various parts of the world (Veybitha, Salim, & Darta, 2021; Delafrooz, Paim,
& Khatibi, 2010; Kim, 2010; Delafrooz, 2009). The Philippines, as a developing country,
is not exempted. In the country, major online shopping platforms like Lazada and Shopee
go on payday sales and monthly celebrations of sales to boost online shopping
engagements from their customers. In recent years, Zamboanga City too has seen a rise in
1
online sales. According to Alberto (2021), who wrote in the local newspaper Sunstar,
shopping online has now become part of daily life. The pandemic intensified its use, but
even when customers started doing their shopping in real stores, consumers would
continue to buy goods online. Emerging adults are able to provide for themselves
financially by purchasing items online, especially working adults who have salaries.
Emerging adults have been typically found to engage in online transactions,
including most typically working professionals and college students. As young adults and
students at the same time, the current researchers also observed in themselves their
engagement in online shopping. Admittedly, during this pandemic period, when feeling
stressed out and simply wanting to make themselves feel a little better, the researchers
have made online purchases more than once. As if to assume that to cope with the stress,
they engage in online shopping. Clearly, online shopping has become a habit for many
people, particularly young adults. Despite the emergence of online shopping and the
continued stress experienced during the pandemic, it remains unclear whether these two
phenomena significantly influence each other.
Review of Related Literature
This section offers a review of the studies, concepts, and discussions related to
online shopping behaviors and COVID 19 stress. A special focus is set on the
experiences of young adults.
2
Online Shopping
The activity of purchasing and offering products and services online is known as
"online shopping." Online shopping has risen in popularity over the last several years
throughout the world. People are getting more acquainted with the internet and using it to
conduct online research and shopping as its scope and popularity expand (Farag et al.,
2007; Hill & Beatty, 2011; Keisidou et al., 2011, as cited in Lissita & Kol, 2016).
Furthermore, electric items and appliances can be easily bought based on their
description and appearance; customers do not need to physically handle the items before
making the purchase. Therefore, consumers appear to prefer to buy them online (29.5
percent) (Girard & Dion, 2010, cited in Lissita & Kol, 2016). Therefore, most people
who do online shopping tend to purchase things that are essential for their home.
Over the past several years, online shopping has become more and more popular,
and more people are becoming familiar with it. Most people who shop online often buy
items that are necessary for their homes, as cited in a study by Lissita and Kol in 2016.
The most popular online purchases were appliances and gadgets. Additionally, in the
business sector, marketers are always looking for new ways to communicate with clients
about the goods or services that the firm provides. Publishing online may be utilized to
entice people to buy their products or use their services. Manandhar (2021) claims that in
Nepal, businesses changed how they operated and what they offered in order to better
connect with their customers.
The convenience of online shopping has made it a popular trend among
consumers. A look at the growth of the industry's main players reveals that there is still a
3
large reservoir of market potential for e-commerce. Purchase intent was discovered to
significantly improve the likelihood of online purchases (Yi, J., Osman, A., & Salahuddin,
S., 2016). A variety of factors influence customer satisfaction with online shopping.
Variables include security, information availability, shipping, quality, pricing, and
customer satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research model to assess
the impact of specific online purchase determinants on consumer satisfaction in the
Serbian market (Vasi, N., Kilibarda, M., & Kaurin, T., 2019). Online shopping addiction
is becoming more common. The internet has influenced many aspects of human society,
including consumer behavior. Before making a purchase, compulsive purchasers are
usually fascinated with it. This causes an increase in purchasing to compensate for
negative aversion feelings (Dittmar et al., 2007; Duroy et al., 2014; Lee & Park, 2008).
Website quality is one important aspect of online shopping. Some people define
website quality in terms of the level of customer service provided. As internet shopping
becomes more common, the quality of websites will become more important in
differentiating them (Liu & Arnett, 2000, as cited in Kalia et al., 2014). To attract
customers and influence their purchasing decisions, internet shopping sites must be of
high quality. SITEQUAL (Scale to Measure the Perceived Quality of an Internet
Shopping Site) is a psychometrically sound tool for assessing the perceived quality of an
online shopping site. The framework was created with different types of users in mind.
The framework, it was argued, provides an effective method for assessing the quality of
web-based services. Understanding customer needs and tailoring solutions to meet them
are essential for attracting and retaining customers (Barnes & Vidgen, 2003, as cited in
Kalia et al., 2014).
4
Businesses can benefit from the fact that more and more people are using the
Internet to perform their shopping tasks by leveraging it as a channel to attract and retain
current and potential customers (Ling et al., 2010). Marketers are constantly seeking
methods to interact with customers about the product or service that the company offers,
and publishing online may be used to draw customers to buy their goods or utilize their
services. The increase in internet usage in Nepal has altered how businesses conduct their
operations, what goods and services they offer, and how far they are willing to go to
connect with customers (Manandhar, 2021).
Two significant modern developments have influenced purchasing behavior. The
first is the use of credit cards and other electronic payment systems. In 1899, romanticist
Edward Bellamy wrote a utopian book that included a description of credit and debit card
payments within the framework of a fictitious egalitarian society in the year 2000. The
psychological (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) impacts of various payment
mechanisms, such as cash, credit or debit cards, and mobile phone payments, have
properly received attention in psychology studies (Boden et al., 2020; Wong & Lynn,
2017; Yu et al., 2020). The World Wide Web, which has been marketed since the 1990s
(Naughton, 2000) and has revolutionized many elements of human civilizations across
the world, including consumer behavior, is the second key breakthrough.
As a result, obsessive shopping online is becoming more of a problem (Dittmar et
al., 2007; Duroy et al., 2014; Lee & Park, 2008). It is both a brand-new form of
compulsive purchasing and a contributing element to the condition, which is
characterized by an obsessive pattern of purchasing activity characterized by extreme
concentration with the purchasing process, as well as throughout it, feelings of comfort
5
and satisfaction that are frequently accompanied by remorse (Workman & Paper, 2010).
Regret can be brought on by a number of factors, such as financial loss, debt, or a fear of
conflict in relationships. However, in compulsive buyers, sorrowful emotions (Lee &
Workman, 2018) and contrition (Fan et al., 2020) are influenced by an absence of control
over compulsions to buy.
All of these factors may lead to increased purchasing in order to cope with such
negative aversion feelings. According to Faber and Vohs (2004), this is a vicious spiral in
which obsessive purchasing is perceived as a contradictory self-destructive attitude.
Recurrent behaviors that cause bad feelings are indicative of the dichotomous personality,
despite the character's awareness of these consequences. Because obsessive buyers are
frequently focused on buying before actually doing so, these expected negative outcomes
are likely to be avoided or disregarded by compulsive buyers by any means feasible prior
to or during the purchasing procedure (Xu et al., 2022).
Nowadays, internet shopping is a rapidly growing phenomenon. A look at the
industry's main players' exponential growth shows that e-commerce still has a large
amount of market growth. Internet purchases are a common trend among consumers,
especially among Generation Y, because of their ease, and because they are so common,
shops are becoming more interested in specializing in this market.
Jinlima, Osman and Salahuddin (2016) discovered that subjective norm and
perceived utility had a large positive impact on online purchase intention but a significant
negative effect on purchasing behavior using structural equation modeling. It is important
to note that perceived utility has little impact on internet purchase behavior. It was shown
6
that purchase intent had a considerable beneficial impact on online shopping behavior. A
sample of working adults, as well as future studies, would need to take other factors
connected to online purchasing into account to lessen adverse selection.
Numerous factors affect how satisfied consumers are with their online purchasing
experiences. The factors that influence customer satisfaction with online shopping
continue to confound the market. It is particularly crucial in emerging nations where
online shopping is just starting up. It is necessary to investigate and analyze the
relationship between customer satisfaction and various determinants in order to increase
online commerce participation. A study by Vasi, Kilibarda, and Kaurin
(2019) constructed a research model to assess the impact of specific online purchase
determinants on consumer satisfaction in the Serbian market. Security, information
availability, shipping, quality, pricing, time, and customer satisfaction are all defined as
variables in a 26-item conceptual model. With the assistance of appropriate Internet tools,
surveys were used to collect input model parameters. Confirmatory factor analysis and
partial least squares were used to validate the developed model. The findings validated
the fundamental research assumptions that the following factors directly affect consumer
satisfaction in the Serbian market: confidentiality, accessibility, delivery, quality, cost,
and availability.
Moreover, people benefit from online shopping in a variety of ways. To begin,
online shopping allows consumers to browse for products and compare prices between
online stores. People can make better buying decisions if they consider prices, sizes, and
models. People can save a lot of time by making purchases online. This means that
purchasing online is a smart alternative that saves us from having to go to stores since
7
individuals like us are now regularly busy with jobs and education. With the touch of a
button, we may purchase what we require, and shippers will quickly deliver their goods
to clients. Many people can achieve their ambition of beginning their own enterprise and
finding protracted achievement due to the strong demand for online purchases of items.
This can be viewed as a positive trend because it creates good job opportunities for
people, allowing them to improve their income and well-being. This also helps to
improve a country's economy in general. Online shopping is much more convenient than
going physically to stores, especially in this situation where a pandemic is still ongoing.
Although there are several risks to consider when doing online shopping, the thing that
you expect to receive may not be the same, and people call this expectation vs. reality.
Emerging Adults Behavior in Online Shopping
Online shopping is perceived differently by young people; they view it as
convenient, uncomfortably varied, and more interesting. Research was conducted on the
students in Indonesia, and according to the results, female students are more into online
shopping than male students. Male students usually avail themselves of electronics, while
female students buy fashion trends (Kuswanto et al., 2020). Moreover, online shopping
drives young people crazy, especially girls and women. In the past, we saw women
spending a lot of time window shopping in search of small items to get the best items at
the best prices, but online shopping has solved their problem because they can search
multiple websites at once, choose the best deal at an affordable price, and place an order
in a matter of minutes (Malviya & Sawant, 2014). Additionally, because of their
propensity to spend, familiarity with contemporary modes of communication, and usage
of contemporary ICT technologies, Gen Y (millennials) constitute the greatest
8
demographic in terms of online purchasing (Orden, 2015, as cited in Sambargi et al.,
2022). Furthermore, low pricing, quick comparison shopping, free delivery, time savings,
ease of purchasing, and the availability of a large selection of items to search for in a
single click are the main drivers of online purchases (Sambargi et al., 2022). One of the
most common online activities among young adults is shopping, and nearly 80% of U.S.
residents and the majority of the population shop online, with electronics and travel
(flights and hotels) being the two most popular subcategories. (MasterCard, 2012, as
cited in Lissita & Kol, 2016).
As cited in research by Sambargi et al. (2022), millennials constitute the greatest
demographic in terms of online purchasing. Online purchases are primarily motivated by
low prices, rapid comparison shopping, free delivery, time savings, convenience of
purchase, and the availability of a broad range of goods to search for in a single click.
However, according to research that was conducted by Sivakumar and Yujong Hwang
(2020), the adoption of any technology is slow in societies with collectivist cultures, like
India, where people are risk-averse. Because of this, 80 percent of online buyers are
presently under 35, and internet usage has significantly increased from 2007, when it was
just 4 percent, to an estimated 50 percent by 2020.
Sivakumar and Yujong Hwang (2020) noted that global e-retailers are expected to
continue showing interest in the business as it continues to grow. In contrast to other
consumer categories, young people who are under 35 currently account for 80% of
internet shoppers. Any new technology is proven to have a high-risk perception in
developing nations, notably in India, where internet usage has expanded substantially in
recent years from a mere 4 percent in 2007 to about 50% by 2020. Thus, people in
9
nations like India, which have a collectivist culture, are risk-averse, so any technology's
acceptance is sluggish in those nations.
Perceived enjoyment has a crucial impact on participants' attitudes and behavior
intentions, which is consistent with other findings (Childers, 2001; Dholakia, 1999;
Heijden & Verhagen 2004; Lee et al., 2005; Mathwick et al., 2001; Menon & Kahn, 2002,
as cited in Dennis et al., 2010). According to the study of Monsuwé et al. (2004), the
hypothesis stated that young women value having fun when buying online. Participants
specifically cited the high involvement and variety of features as enjoyable characteristics.
The attitude and behavior intentions of young women are influenced by perceived ease of
use, corroborating earlier findings. According to this study's participants, using the social
e-commerce platform ‘Osoyou’ was challenging, especially because doing so required
them to open ten separate accounts—one for each store—if they wanted to buy ten
different things, each from a different retailer. The layout of the website received
criticism from utilitarian customers as well because it diverted them from their primary
objective with the additional information and features (shopping). Perceived usefulness
influences young women's attitudes and behavior intentions, correlating with previous
findings by Monsuwé et al. (2004). Despite the fact that ‘Osoyou’ was perceived as
difficult to use, participants found the site useful. Utilitarian shoppers valued extra
information, particularly on the most popular and latest items available, as well as the
ability to save time because all of the stores are on one site. Shoppers thought it was also
useful to get fashion advice and see what celebrities were wearing. Hedonic shoppers
appreciated the socializing as well.
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Younger adult generations have switched even more toward online purchasing,
according to Business Wire, which also reveals key factors that have a significant impact
on their shopping preferences. In comparison to the past, less than half of young adult
consumers—including 36% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z—plan to shop in physical
stores. Young adults who are educated and tech savvy utilize their gadgets to get
information through social media and the internet (Wang et al., 2005, as cited in Sumi et
al., 2022) and are strongly driven by the social influences that shape their online buying
behavior (Cores & Bertels, 2021, as cited in Sumi & Ahmed, 2022).
Based on the study by Sorce et al. (2005), younger customers are more likely to
concur that online shopping is more practical, advantageous, and less taxing on
consumers than the more conventional way, which involves personal contact (Samsudin
& Ahmad, 2013 as cited in Mokhtar et al., 2020), and young consumers also look for
more products online.
Students’ Online Shopping Behavior
Delafrooz, Paim, and Khatibi (2010) conducted a study to determine the variables
impacting students' views regarding online shopping in Malaysia using a five-level Likert
scale self-administered questionnaire constructed based on existing literature. The results
of the multiple regression analysis revealed the most important factors influencing
customers' views regarding online purchasing. The findings revealed that customers'
opinions regarding online purchasing were impacted by utilitarian orientation,
convenience, price, and a broader selection. As a result, e-retailers should stress a more
11
user-friendly function in order to give utilitarian clients an expedient manner to locate
what they need.
In a previous study by Delafrooz (2009), the findings revealed that postgraduate
students had a reasonably high degree of intention to purchase online and a favorable
attitude about it. Additionally, it was shown that attitudes about internet shopping were
strongly and positively connected with the practical approach and hedonistic orientation,
perceived advantages, and demographic variables (gender, age, and income). The
outcome also showed a strong and positive correlation between the intention to purchase
online and perceived control over behavior and attitude.
The customer component, which includes privacy, security, and trust, as well as
time savings, simplicity of use, efficiency, the pleasure of shopping, corporate reputation,
and tactility, was determined by Kim (2010) to be the most important for determining
whether or not people intended to make online purchases.
The study by Wambui (2010) sought to identify the traits of college students who
adopted online shopping as well as the factors that prevented certain students from doing
so. The study's results showed that although there was a higher level of knowledge about
internet shopping, very few people actually used it. Additionally, research revealed that
most internet buyers were men under 30 and had higher earnings. Concerns over financial
stability and uneasiness with disclosing personal information online were two of the
reasons given for not adopting online purchasing. Online shopping was adopted for a
number of reasons, including how simple it was to buy goods from any part of the
country and how many options there were.
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The COVID 19 Stress and Online Shopping
The use of lock-downs during the epidemic had an impact on people's movement,
shopping, and employment activities. In order to keep people alive during pandemics,
goods had to be supplied, hence the transportation sector had to change how it operated
(Rossolov et al., 2022).
Global e-commerce companies now have new opportunities as a result of the
radical shift toward online shopping. Retail proprietors have made an alternative choice
available through e-trade. Bangladesh is ranked 46th globally in terms of revenue, with
sales of more than US$1.50 billion, a rise of 70–80% from prior eras. (Statista, 2020, as
cited in Sumi & Ahmed, 2022).
According to one study, people's motivation to make purchases online during the
epidemic is stress. The number of purchases is increased by excessive stress but not
regularity. While purchasing care items might serve as a distraction from the epidemic,
increasing health product purchases can lower stress. Customers from groups that fear
COVID-19 and are impacted by other people's choices and buying habits are responsible
for the rise in sales (Salim & Darta, 2021).
In a post online dated July 25, 2022, Shrikant cited that it is likely for someone
that at the end of an exhausting day, one is likely to shop, and what better way to do that
than to shop online? It further suggested that shopping online was like an energy booster
or a dopamine hit that led to thoughtless purchases. This tendency to overspend or engage
in online shopping thoughtlessly is what she argues can be easily explained by the
psychological theory named "cognitive depletion."
13
Prior to the pandemic, several studies revealed the use of online shopping when
stressed. In an earlier study entitled "The Going Gets Tough, So Let's Go Shopping: On
Materialism, Coping, and Consumer Behaviors Under Traumatic Stress," Somer and
Ruvio (2013) found that in a real-life traumatic event, coping and maladaptive consuming
patterns are influenced by exposure to trauma-related stress, post-traumatic responses,
and materialistic ideals. A community under continual rocket fire (an elevated situation)
was sampled with 139 Israelis, whereas a low-stress area was sampled with 187
respondents for comparison. Excluding interpersonal expressive coping, the data indicate
a primary impact of materialism for all of the discomfort and unhelpful consumer
behaviors under consideration. Interpersonal expressive coping, which reflects a
propensity to rely on support networks, was highest among slightly materialistic people
in the high-stress group. Tangible-item people were probably more focused on things
than people, making assistance coping strategies less applicable to them. The high-stress
group members who were extremely materialistic experienced the most severe posttraumatic stress symptoms. The findings of this study also imply that post-traumatic
distress cannot be lessened by the joys of purchasing and that the severity of
dysfunctional shopping habits rises with exposure to trauma.
In another study entitled Psychological Stress Detection from Online Shopping,
Zhao et al. (2016) found that stress is detected when doing online shopping. Furthermore,
the study argued that in an increasingly faster life pace in modern society where people
are likely to feel stressed, shopping is often perceived as an effective way for stress relief,
especially for females. In their study, they found that, compared with non-stress cases,
females are likely to perform different online shopping patterns when under stress.
14
Synthesis
Online shopping has become more popular, and people are becoming more
familiar with it. Internet is not only for searching and communication; some are using the
internet to avail of their necessities and essential things. There are some compulsive
buyers who are influenced by many aspects of human society, and they are mostly
preoccupied with purchasing. In the world of marketing, the internet is used as a medium
to draw in and interact with customers about the products or services that the company
offers, and publishing online may be used to draw customers to buy their goods or utilize
their services. A study was conducted wherein emerging adults constitute the greatest
demographic in terms of online shopping. The reasons why most young adults are
motivated to shop online are low prices, rapid comparison shopping, free delivery, time
savings, the convenience of purchase, and the availability of a broad range of goods to
search for in a single click.
Similarly, these earlier studies reveal patterns of behavior that indicate that when
an individual is stressed, they are likely to engage in online shopping. Moreover, several
studies have also revealed the increasing engagement of emerging and young adults in
this online shopping. However, it is unclear how these are experienced by university
students who experience COVID-19 stress and how they engage in online shopping. Thus,
this current research is made to explore this gap.
15
Statement of the Problem
This study wants to explore the online shopping behavior of emerging adults and
their experiences with COVID-19 stress in Zamboanga City. Specifically, the following
questions are noted below:
1.
Is there a significant relationship between levels of COVID-19
stress and the online shopping behaviors of the respondents?
2. Is there a significant difference in the COVID-19 stress levels and
online shopping behaviors of emerging adults in Zamboanga City when data is
grouped according to:
a. sex/gender (male - female)
b. enrolled college students vs working emerging adults
Hypothesis
1. There is no significant relationship between COVID-19-related stress and online
shopping.
2. There is no significant difference between COVID-19-related stress and online
shopping behavior when data is grouped according to:
a. Working emerging adults vs. student emerging adults
b. Gender (males vs females)
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Theoretical Framework/Conceptual Framework
This study is anchored on theoretical assumptions that help explain the elements
of this paper. The following are described below:
Azjen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior
The Theory of Planned Behavior by Icek Azjen (1985), an extension of the
Theory of Reasoned Action, proposes that behaviors are instantaneously determined by
behavioral intentions and, under some conditions, perceived behavioral control. There is
a combination of three factors that can determine behavioral intention: attitude, subjective
norms, and perceived behavioral control.
Figure 1
Theory of Planned behavior by Icek Azjen (1985)
Attitude
(Belief about
buying behavior)
Subjective Norm
(Environment)
Intention
Behavior
Perceived
Behavioral
Control
17
The theory proposes that there are three elements that determine one’s behavior
which includes: Attitude, Subject Norms and Perceived Behavioral Control. The attitude
component is associated with the belief of an individual to a certain behavior whether it
has positive or negative contribution in their life. The subject norms refer to the influence
of the individual’s environment - social network, cultural norms, group beliefs, etc. And
lastly, the perceived behavioral control refers to the belief of an individual how to express
or act a certain behavior.
According to the idea, a good attitude toward the act or behavior, favorable social
norms, and a high level of perceived behavioral control are the strongest predictors of
creating a behavioral intention, which leads to a shown action or act. In general, the
stronger the desire to do something, the more likely it is to be done.
Additionally, more recent studies have provided evidence that the theory of
planned behavior can play a significant role in supporting behavioral intentions as well as
well-perceived behavioral control. In the current paper, the researchers explore this
theory and use it to try to explain the online shopping behavior of emerging adults.
Theory of Cognitive Depletion
Ego depletion is the belief that one’s brain's decision-making process has finite
strength, especially when one goes against your desires. The cognitive (aware)
component of the brain is referred to as your 'ego' by psychologists. Ego depletion
theories, such as the psychological resource limitations proposed by social psychologist
Roy Baumeister during his tenure at Case Western University, promote the idea that one
only has a limited amount of conscious willpower and that if it runs out, one’s ability to
18
make good decisions suffers significantly. If the mind is utilized for too long without rest,
it will ultimately tire and deteriorate. Although most people have certainly observed that
they have a tougher time making excellent decisions when they are "tired," scientific
research has had difficulty determining the consequences.
Ego depletion theories go a step further. It proposes that certain areas of the brain,
particularly those related to decision-making, are closely interconnected, all drawing
resources from the same storehouse. Even if one is rested, well-fed, and emotionally calm,
a constant drain on your decision-making willpower can create a depleted state where it
becomes increasingly difficult to resist your urges and make wise choices.
The concept of ego depletion holds that self-control or willpower depends on a
finite reservoir of mental resources that may be depleted. When the energy for mental
activity is low, self-control is usually reduced, which is referred to as ego depletion.
Experiencing ego depletion, in particular, undermines one's capacity to regulate oneself
later on. Even though the activities appear unrelated, a depleting task demanding selfcontrol might have a negative impact on a later self-control task. Self-control is important
in the functioning of the self at both the individualistic and interpersonal levels.
Roy Baumeister, an American social psychologist, and his colleagues presented a
model that depicts self-control as a muscle that can be both strengthened and exhausted.
The researchers hypothesized that using the "muscle" of self-control for the first time
might lead to a decline in strength, or ego depletion, for subsequent activities. Later
experimental data supported this muscle model of self-control and ego depletion. In 1998,
Baumeister, Ellen Bratslavsky, Mark Muraven, and Dianne Tice conducted a critical
experiment that provided the first evidence that ego depletion has impacts in a variety of
19
contexts or scenarios. They discovered that people who initially rejected the lure of
chocolate were less able to persevere through a tough and tedious puzzle challenge later
on. They attributed this impact to ego depletion caused by previously refusing a desirable
reward. Furthermore, when persons willingly provide a speech that includes opinions
opposite to their own, they are less able to continue on the tough challenge,
demonstrating ego depletion. When people are not given an option and are "forced" to
compose a counter-attitude speech, the effect is not nearly as great. As a result, they
hypothesize that both the act of choosing and counter-attitudinal actions draw from the
same restricted pool of resources. While providing a counter-attitude speech is likely to
cause ego depletion, adding the element of choice increases the amount of perceived
depletion. These studies indicated the consequences of ego depletion in many contexts
and highlighted the possibility that ego depletion is not context-specific. This experiment
was significant because the researchers’ combined concepts offered by previous studies
and suggested evidence for a willpower-strength model. Baumeister and his colleagues
produced the first direct experimental proof of ego depletion with this work, igniting
scientific interest in the issue.
Furthermore, regardless of one's actual state of depletion, an individual's
perceived level of tiredness has been demonstrated to impact his future performance on a
task requiring self-regulation. This is referred to as illusory weariness. This was
demonstrated in an experiment in which participants completed a task that was either
depleting or non-depleting, determining each person's real level of depletion. Finally,
when participants were encouraged to assume their degree of depletion was lower than it
actually was, they performed much worse on a challenging working memory exercise.
20
This suggests that, regardless of the actual condition of depletion, an elevated felt degree
of weariness might impair self-regulation ability.
Real-world ramifications for this theory may reveal that when an individual's ego
is depleted, that individual's decreased capacity to self-regulate can be implicated in a
wide range of unwanted and maladaptive behaviors, such as acts of aggression.
Knowledge and tactics to combat ego depletion would thus be extremely useful in a
variety of real-life circumstances. For example, ego depletion can have interesting
insights into the world of consumer behavior.
Individuals in the realm of consumerism are presented with options and choices
that require the application of significant energy resources in order to make educated
purchases while rejecting the lure of impulsive or superfluous purchases. Consumers are
frequently assaulted with several alternatives. To make the best decision, compare the
many distinct elements of several items. The intricacy of consumer decisions might lead
to ego depletion. This, in turn, may have an influence on any subsequent decisions that
customers must make. When consumers are drained, they are more inclined to become
inactive and make rash judgments that may not reflect their genuine beliefs.
In the market, consumers have a variety of pricing ranges and product attributes to
choose from. Having a lot of alternatives might make customers feel overwhelmed,
which can lead to ego depletion. Advertisements that convince customers how much they
deserve and need a thing can generate mental fatigue and irritation, driving individuals to
buy a product. Fatigue and annoyance can also result from bargains with precise
restrictions on how to acquire a product, as well as exerting effort in determining which
store has the greatest prices or attempting to travel to the store. People will then be
21
persuaded to buy the most expensive or least expensive goods. Consumers with limited
self-control are more likely to be invested in purchasing high-status things. These same
customers are more likely to be driven, persistent, and willing to pay a higher price for a
product. This will give customers a sense of empowerment; they will feel more in control
and as if they are conquering their ego-drained moods. It may also lead people to
purchase a high-status brand. The buyer may believe that the brand is more useful and
secure in relation to the goods.
In the current paper, the researchers used these theoretical assumptions to explain
the online shopping behavior of emerging adults while experiencing COVID-19 stress. It
is operating on the assumption that when emerging adults are stressed from the effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic, they are likely to experience ego depletion, which is seen in
their online shopping behavior. This is explored in the paper by proposing the conceptual
framework presented below:
22
Conceptual Framework
Figure 2
Illustration of the (3) Three Elements of the Study
The relevancy of the study with the current circumstances during the pandemic
will be of great importance. The online shopping behavior of the emerging adults in
Zamboanga City during the ongoing study connects two experiences that the working and
student emerging adults encounter, namely: COVID-19 stress level and online shopping
behavior. The study would want to determine the relationship between the COVID-19
stress level and the online shopping behavior of emerging adults in Zamboanga City.
Also, the study identified the main differences between the COVID-19 stress level and
the online shopping behavior of young adults in Zamboanga City according to the given
data. The relatedness of both emerging adults’ experiences was deeply discussed in this
study.
23
A. Online shopping experiences of the emerging adults during the on-going COVID
– 19 pandemic
The context of the current study is taken to be the experiences of emerging adults
through online shopping during the pandemic. Due to the pandemic, a drastic change has
been brought to the people and businesses in Zamboanga City, and one of those changes
is the way they obtain their essentials and necessities. From traditional shopping,
businesses learn to adapt to online e-commerce to survive and earn a larger profit. While
emerging adults, as they have vast knowledge about technologies and have easily adapted
to online shopping, find it time-saving, accessible from anywhere, easy, available aroundthe-clock, and offers a wide range of items and a number of ways to compare brands and
products.
B. Online Shopping Behavior
The process through which customers browse, decide on, buy, utilize, and discard
products and services online is known as online shopping behavior. Online shopping has
become increasingly popular over the years because it is convenient and simple to shop
for deals from the comfort of one's home or workplace. According to Li and Zhang
(2002), online shopping behavior relates to the customer’s psychological state regarding
the accomplishment of online shopping. In this study, this will be observed from the
Online Shopping Questionnaire results.
C. Emerging Adults Experiences of COVID - 19 Stress
Emerging adults are affected by the pandemic at a crucial juncture in their
development, as this determines how they evolve into productive adults. Emerging
adulthood is marked by specific activities based on identity discovery, instability, self24
focus, feeling in between youth and adulthood, and seeing the future as full of
possibilities. When the crisis first began, some students' work hours were increased by
two to meet the immediate needs of their communities, while others were dismissed or
made to work from home. However, the main goal of this research is to know and
understand the level of stress that each individual is currently experiencing. In the period
between April and May 2020, when the World Health Organization declared a global
pandemic, a sizable proportion of emerging adults (Liu et al., 2020) reported clinically
elevated levels of depression (43.3%), anxiety (45.4%), and PTSD symptoms (31.8%).
These levels are higher than would have been predicted based on data for emerging adults
prior to the pandemic (Liu et al., 2020). Furthermore, a study was conducted in the
Philippines, and the results found that 16.3% of survey participants said the outbreak's
psychological toll was moderate to severe; 16.9% experienced moderate to severe
depression symptoms; 28.8% showed moderate to severe worry; and 13.4% expressed
moderate to severe stress. In this study, this has been explored from the COVID Stress
Scale results.
Significance of the Study
The result of the study will help provide information for understanding the online
buying behavior of emerging adults in the city as well as their experiences of COVID-19related stress. Specifically, the study proposes to see value in the following:
Emerging Adults
It can help emerging adults, especially students, be aware of and understand more
about their behavior and the possible causes of it.
25
Online Platforms Business Owners
The results of this study can help in reaching new markets and increasing sales
and revenues. Having easier access to transacting and connecting with the buyers.
Parents
Parents will be able to build awareness of how online shopping behavior and
stress impact their children’s lives as emerging adults. Parents can use the results as a
way of making connections with their children to build relationships, as it is still integral
to the emerging adult’s development.
School Administrators and School Counselors
The results of this study can be used as a guide for school counselors’ programs
for coping among students. The results of the study can also be used as a guide in
developing programs or their integration into the curriculum to help students become
more aware of their online behavior. One's online behavior, including the students’ online
shopping behavior, can show possible protective outcomes or in another way prove
harmful to students, and thus schools need to educate students to become more aware of
how their online behavior can impact them.
Psychology and its Related Fields
The results of this study can be used as empirical support for studies related to
consumer behavior, specifically additional information about online shopping behavior
and stress-related phenomena.
26
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study explored the behavior of emerging adults towards online shopping and
their stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it focuses on emerging
adults, ages 18 to 35, who are residing within Zamboanga City. Those who are living
outside of Zamboanga City are not included in this research. The researchers employed
non-random sampling to gather the required number of respondents. Also, the researcher
gathered the data by giving a hard copy of the two (2) questionnaires (Online Shopping
Questionnaire and COVID Stress Scale) and by posting a link on social media.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Emerging Adults – This is the period of development spanning from about ages 18 to 29
and experienced by most people in their twenties
Online Shopping Behavior - The procedure via which people make purchasing
decisions in e-commerce.
Stress - It is any form of change that creates strain; it can be physical, emotional, or
psychological.
COVID - 19 Pandemic – This is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2).
Consumers – These are buyers of specific goods and/or services.
27
Attitude - This is associated with the belief of an individual in a certain behavior,
whether it has a positive or negative contribution to life.
Subject norms – This is influence of the individual’s environment—social network,
cultural norms, group beliefs, etc.
Perceived Behavioral Control - This is the belief of an individual about how to express
or act in a certain way.
Online Shopping Questionnaire (OSQ) - This is the tool used to help study users'
behaviors, experiences, and preferences as they shop for items from your e-commerce
store.
COVID Stress Scale (CSS) – This is the tool used to assess exposure to COVID-19specific stressors and severity of burden.
28
CHAPTER II
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The researchers utilized a descriptive quantitative research design using survey
questionnaires.
Respondents and Sampling Design
The study used a non-random sampling design by using the purposeful
convenience method. A target of 100 respondents has been gathered to take part in the
study. Fifty (50) students are targeted, and another fifty (50) are for employed emerging
adults. For the inclusion criteria, the participants or student emerging adults have to be
currently enrolled college students aged 19–24 years old and living in Zamboanga City,
or working emerging adults aged 25–35 years old, also residing in Zamboanga City.
Lastly, all the research participants should have experience doing online shopping on any
social media or online platform.
Data Gathering Procedure
The intended college students’ participants had been invited via online posters or
advertisements that the researchers had created, along with links to the permission forms
and survey questionnaires that had been put on social media for convenient access. While
the working emerging adults had been presented with a hard copy of a consent form and
the two (2) questionnaires, Upon reaching the desired number of participants, the data
had been gathered, categorized, and evaluated.
29
Ethical Considerations
The anonymity of the persons and groups taking part in the research, as
well as the privacy of their personal information and data, shall be upheld by the
researchers. Before distributing the questionnaire, the researcher must also have their full
consent. Additionally, individuals are free to decline to take part in the study.
Instruments/Tools
The researchers obtained informed consent from the respondents to ensure that
their personal information was kept confidential. Two types of questionnaires called,
Online Shopping Questionnaire and the COVID Stress Scales (CSS), were then given
to the respondents. After they answered the two questionnaires, the researcher
distributed Php100 cash to the six winners of the drawing as a token of gratitude.
Online Shopping Questionnaire (OSQ)
For the first questionnaire, the online shopping questionnaire, the researchers used
checkbox format questions to have limitless choices and the Likert scale of level of
agreement to rate respondents' impressions of online purchasing behavior and their traits
as emerging adults. The questionnaire consists of 10 questions in a checkbox format and
32 (thirty-two) questions with seven (7) predictors (perception of risk (POR), trust and
security (TAS), enjoyment (EJY), quality of websites (QOW), online advertisement
(OAD), social influence (SIF), and online shopping behavior (OSB). Each predictor has
five questions. OSQ has good internal and constructs validity and test-retest reliability.
30
In terms of scoring, step-by-step scoring was utilized for 10 questions in the form
of checkboxes and 35 questions on the Likert scale of level of agreement. This resulted in
a numerical score for each response, as follows: (1) Strongly disagree; (2) Disagree; (3)
Neutral; (4) Agree; (5) Strongly agree; and it includes items tended to by the seven (7)
predictors.
COVID Stress Scale
The COVID Stress Scale (CSS) used the Likert Scale of Frequency to rate the
respondent’s experience over the past seven (7) years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The questionnaire consists of 36 questions and is divided into six (6) subscales (Danger
subscale, Socio-economic Consequences subscale, Xenophobia subscale, Contamination
subscale, Traumatic Stress subscale, Compulsive Checking subscale) and each subscale
has six questions. On a number of reliability and validity metrics, the scales performed
well. The scales' correlations served as proof of COVID Stress Syndrome. The measures
show potential as instruments for determining those in need of mental health care and for
better comprehending the discomfort related to COVID-19.
In terms of scoring, step-by-step scoring has been utilized for 36 questions that
are divided into six subscales in the form of a Likert scale of level of frequency, with a
numerical score for each subscale response as follows: (0) Not at all, (1) Slightly, (2)
Moderately, (3) Very, and (4) Extremely, and the answers have been evaluated
throughout the course of 7 days since people's concerns regarding COVID-19 may vary
as the epidemic progresses. The capacity to evaluate these changes is made possible by a
7-day window, which also keeps the window generally consistent with the other
symptom measures in the evaluation battery.
31
Data Analysis
The data were collected from the survey questionnaires. The researchers then
organized the data, which they later analyzed using statistical analysis. With the help of
the statistician and using inferential statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test to analyze the
significant difference, and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation to analyze the
significant relationship between the two (2) variables, correlational analysis is a statistical
technique employed in measuring linear relationships between variables. Furthermore,
inferential statistics were used to explore the significant difference in the collected data
using a t-test for independent samples. This quantitative data analysis study was able to
understand the basic characteristics of data in a study as well as provide simple
summaries of the measures and sample.
32
CHAPTER III
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In this chapter, the findings are presented, analyzed, and interpreted according to
the sequences of the specific research problems. This chapter begins by presenting the
respondents’ demographic profile and the monthly time spent on online shopping. This
was followed by data analysis.
Descriptive Statistics for the Online Shopping Behavior of Respondents
Table 1
Gender Distribution in Online Shopping Behavior
Group
Variable
N
Percentage
Rank
College Students
Gender – Males
12
24%
2nd
Females
38
76%
1st
Gender – Males
17
34%
2nd
Females
33
66%
1st
Working Adults
The data from Table 1 shows that for the college students’ group, the majority of
those involved in online shopping behavior were females, with 76 percent, as compared
to the males, who represented only 24 percent. In the group of working adults, females
showed 66 percent involvement in online shopping, while males showed only 34 percent.
33
Figure 3.1
Frequency of Online Shopping Transactions Per Month of College Students
Figure 3.1 specifies that the majority of college students spend online shopping
per month only 1–2 times, followed by 17 of them who spend 3–4 times, 4 of them spend
5–6 times, 1 of the respondents who spend only 7–8 times, and 2 of the college students
who spend 9–10 times in a month on online shopping. These results suggest that a
majority of college students very rarely involve themselves in online shopping. This
might be due to the fact that the majority of college students receive the bare minimum of
allowances from their parents or are separated from their parents and living alone. These
findings are related to a study conducted by Tao, Chun-rui, and Wang (2020), in which
college students are now housed in a boarding house and must obtain all of their own
daily supplies.
34
Figure 3.2
Frequency of Online Shopping Transactions Per Month of Working Adults
Figure 3 reveals the number of working individuals' monthly internet buying
transactions in Zamboanga City, where it was found that 19 respondents, or the majority
of the working adult respondents, engage in online shopping between 1 and 2 times a
month. This was followed by 16 respondents who did online shopping 3–4 times in a
month, and 10 of the respondents spent 5–6 times in a month online shopping; 2 of them
only spent 7–8 times, and 3 of them spent more than 9–10 times in online shopping in a
month. Again, the results are similar to those of college students, where a majority of
working adults also engage in online shopping very rarely, with at least 1-2 purchases a
month. The possible reason is that most working adults in Zamboanga City earn only
enough to cover their basic needs. According to the report of John Eric Mendoza (2022)
in Inquirer.Net, utilities, transportation, and food account for almost half of the working
Filipino adult population's expenditures, with food accounting for a third. To explore for
35
any significant relationship between experiencing COVID-19 stress and online shopping
behavior, the table below shows the summary of the results.
Table 2
Significant Difference in Online Shopping Behavior of Respondents by Groups
Online Shopping
Groups
Mean
SD
Males
3.59
0.511
Females
3.48
0.451
U
p
Interpretation
Behavior
Gender
Emerging
College Students
3.05
0.452
Adults
Working Adults
3.67
0.222
894
0.303 Not Sig
98.0
<.001 Has Sig
As reflected in Table 2, college students scored lower than working adults, with a
mean of 3.05 compared to 3.67 for working people. Based on the data, there is a
significant difference between college students and working people using an independent
sample t-test, where the result shows a significant difference at a U value of 98.0 and a p
value of.001. Based on the findings of the research of P. Sivakumar, the behavior of the
employees towards online shopping is higher than that of college students. The reason is
that college students do not have enough funds for shopping (Edmunds et al., 2010).
On top of this, males scored higher than females with a mean of 3.59, while for
the females it is 3.48. However, further data analysis reveals that there was no significant
difference in emerging adult online shopping behaviors between males and females using
36
the Mann-Whitney U test for the significant difference in online shopping behaviors,
where results showed no significant difference at a U value of 894 and a p value of 0.303.
This analysis was used because the normality of the data was not satisfied. One of the
most common online activities among young adults is shopping, and nearly 80% of U.S.
consumers shop online, according to Lissita and Kol (2016). This is may be because it is
convenient for both men and women and they can search multiple websites at once,
choose the best deal at an affordable price, and place an order in a matter of minutes.
However, evidence that indicates female students are more interested in online shopping
than male students is refuted by a study conducted in Indonesia by Kuswanto et al. (2020).
As for the online shopping behavior of emerging adult groups, Table 2 reveals
that the mean score of the college students is lower than the mean score of working adults,
with a score of 3.05 compared to 3.67 for working adults. Thus, the online shopping
behavior of the working and emerging adults was higher than that of college students.
This result is supported by Ruvini, Weerasinghe, Peramunugamage, and Anuradha
(2014), wherein when it comes to purchasing online, young individuals act in a
constrained manner with their favorite "brands" and restricted funds. Working adults
already have their own income that they could spend however they want. However,
students are still dependent on their parents and have limited allowances.
37
Table 3
Pearson Product Moment Correlation for Significant Relationship Between COVID 19 Stress Levels and Online Shopping Behavior (N=100)
_______________________________________________________________________
Variable
Pearson r
P value
Interpretation
________________________________________________________________________
OSQ & COVID -19 Stress Levels
0.027
0.793
Not Significant
________________________________________________________________________
(Note. * p < .05)
The data presented in Table 3 reveals that no significant relationship exists
between online shopping behavior (OSQ) and COVID-19 stress levels, where a Pearson r
value of 0.027 and a p-value of 0.793 are observed. This finding conflicts with research
by Veybitha, Salim, and Darta (2021) that found stress to be a driving force for people's
internet purchases during the epidemic. However, their study is about quantity over
frequency, where the number of purchases is increased by extreme concern but not the
frequency of the consumer in terms of online shopping. Stress is not only a result of one
issue, but it can be due to different reasons, like the findings of another study conducted
by Veybitha, Salim, and Darta (2021), which found that customers from groups that fear
COVID-19 and are influenced by other people's buying habits are responsible for the rise
in sales. It also suggests that their behavior can also be rooted in the marketing strategies
of the online shops’ applications, such as vouchers, low prices, or trends. The study also
explored a significant difference in COVID-19 stress levels between the groups of
respondents. Table 4 presents a summary of the statistical analysis performed.
38
Table 4
Descriptive Statistics and Significant Differences in Stress Levels of the Respondents
(N= 100)
COVID 19 Stress
Groups
Mean
SD
df
p
Interpretation
Males
1.91
0.886
98.0
0.048 Has Sig
Females
2.24
0.0672
98.0
0.332 No Sig
Scale Grouping
Gender
Emerging
College Students
2.22
0.678
Adults
Working Adults
2.07
0.817
Results from Table 4 show that females exhibited higher COVID-19 stress levels
with a mean score of 2.24 as compared to males with only 1.91. Another study confirmed
this result by Prowse et al. (2021), in which they reveal that the negative impacts of
COVID-19 on stress levels and mental health were much more pronounced among
female students compared to males. On the other hand, in the groupings for emerging
adults, the college student showed a higher mean score of 2.22 compared to the group
with working adults, which had a mean score of only 2.07. The result shows that the
value of df 98.0 is equal to 0.975 and the value of p is 0.322. Durbas et al. (2021)
revealed in their study that college students tend to experience stress when they are in an
unfamiliar setting and have no idea how long this situation will endure. Moreover, online
sessions are a modern technique for all Turkish students, which may generate worry, as
stated by Aker and Mdk (2020).
39
CHAPTER 4
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter provides a summary of the study based on the findings obtained
during data collection and interpretation.
Summary
The goal of this study is to explore emerging adults' internet purchasing habits
and their COVID-19 stress levels in Zamboanga City. One hundred (100) people in total
participated in the study, of whom fifty (50) were college students between the ages of 18
and 24, and fifty (50) were working emerging adults between the ages of 25 and 35. All
of the respondents are presently based in Zamboanga City.
Results revealed that, for college students and working adults’ groups, the females
were more engaged in online shopping. As for the frequency of online shopping, the
majority of the respondents only made 1-2 purchases in a month. When further analysis
was done, the results also showed that there was no significant difference in the online
shopping behavior of respondents by gender, while for the emerging adult group, the
results showed that college students are more stressed during the pandemic than working
emerging adults. In the COVID-19 stress levels, data also revealed that although females
showed a higher mean score in VOVID-19-related stress, no significant difference was
observed by gender. When a significant relationship was explored between COVID-19related stress and online shopping behavior, the results showed that no significant
relationship exists.
40
CONCLUSION
Overall, the results suggest that any increase or decrease in COVID-19-related
stress levels cannot determine an increase or decrease in online shopping behaviors.
Moreover, when it comes to the stress levels of the respondents, it reveals that females
are more likely to show higher stress than males during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence,
the college students are more stressed than the emerging adults who are working during
the pandemic. In terms of buying habits online, the researchers discovered that there is no
difference in terms of gender and that both males and females have the same behavior
when buying online. Yet, between college students and working emerging adults, the
behavior of the working young adults is higher than that of the college students. The idea
of ego depletion is about the process of decision-making in our brain, wherein if the brain
is constantly used, it will create a depleted state that could make a person hard to
withstand the urge inside to make a rush decision. With that, it supported the results of
this study, in which whether it is a student or a working adult under stress while doing
online shopping, it is most likely rush behavior.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The data gathered in this study have hopefully provided information about the
online shopping behavior and experience of COVID-19-related stress of emerging adults
in the city of Zamboanga. After gathering the results of the study, the following areas are
presented by the researchers as areas for recommendations:
41
For Emerging Adults
Information gathered from the study can help emerging adults, especially students,
be aware of and understand more about their online behavior. Also, as online shopping
has been observed among emerging adults, both those who are working and students,
researchers advise taking caution in engaging in this behavior. Despite showing only
limited purchases of 1-2 times a month, it has also been observed that some respondents
also engage in online shopping more frequently. This can impact their financial freedom
as young adults. Thus, it would be wise to gain more consciousness about online
purchasing behaviors and their impact on their financial freedom.
For School Administrators and School Counselors
The results of this study can be used as a guide for school counselors and
administrators as they develop programs to help students cope with COVID-19-related
stress. Also, it would be good if schools could conduct information campaigns about
online behaviors, including online shopping, and their protective and harmful outcomes
to one’s quality of life.
Future Researchers
Future researchers can look into other variables that may significantly influence
online shopping behavior. Perhaps other forms of analysis can be explored, such as
looking mainly at the facets involved in online shopping, such as ease of access, security,
prices, etc., as possible variables that predict online shopping behavior, where regression
analysis can be explored. Moreover, future researchers can look into consumer
42
psychology and social psychological principles that may prove useful to explain the
online shopping behavior of emerging adults.
43
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Aker, S. & Midik, O. (2020). The views of medical faculty students in Turkey concerning
the
COVID-19
pandemic.
J
Community
Health. https//link.springer.com/article/101007/s10900-020-00841-9
Bashir, J., Farah, G., Mushtaq, A., &Ali, J. (2018). Online Shopping Behaviours among
university
Students.
228-242.
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49
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
50
Appendix A (continued).
51
Appendix A (continued).
52
Appendix A (continued).
53
APPENDIX B
INFORMED CONSENT
This research project is inviting you to participate. Before choosing to take part in this
study, it is crucial for you as a participant to be aware of the aim of the research being conducted
and what your engagement entails. Please read the following information carefully. If you have
any questions or need more clarification, do not hesitate to ask the interviewer.
Name/s of Researcher/s: Abuan, Rhogine Rose C.
Din, Angelica T.
Muksans, Priya O.
PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
The purpose of this study is to determine if stress experienced by young adults during the
COVID-19 outbreak had any bearing on their internet purchasing habits. Furthermore, to identify
the major differences between emerging adults' COVID 19 stress levels and internet purchasing
habits.
STUDY PROCEDURES
As a respondent, you will be required to respond to the questionnaire. The researchers
will collect all of the necessary information. The researchers will collect all of the necessary
information. Your participation in the study is entirely voluntary, and you have the authority to
inform the interviewer that you will not respond to a question or specific question or to express
the desire to halt the interview if certain questions are considered to be unsettling. sensitive. The
questionnaire was done to ensure that no information was missed. Rest assured that all details of
the documents will be kept strictly private.
54
APPENDIX B (continued).
DURATION
Participation in this research study requires the participant's commitment of
approximately 10 to 15 minutes to answer the survey.
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
As a volunteer, your participation in this study would be INTENTIONALLY
VOLUNTARY. It is completely up to you whether or not you choose to take part. Even after
signing this form, you still have the option to revoke your permission at any moment, without
giving a reason not you choose to take part. Even after signing this form, you still have the option
to revoke your permission at any moment, without giving a reason. Even after signing this form,
you still have the option to revoke your permission at any moment and without giving a reason.
Your participation in the study won't be counted if you withdraw without submitting the required
amount of data.
RISKS
Your participation in this study will not put you physically in danger. However, there are
certain questions you can come across that might be delicate, making you feel uncomfortable
along the route. Nevertheless, you can tell us about or address any issue that might worry you.
BENEFITS
Participating in this study will be greatly beneficial to the researchers, readers,
emerging adults, online platform business owners, parents, school administrators and
counselors, psychology, and other related fields.
55
APPENDIX B (continued).
CONFIDENTIALITY
We will maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding every response you provided for this
survey. Your data privacy will be respected by the researchers, who will take the following steps
to protect it:
1.
The anonymity of the persons and groups taking part in the research, as well as the
privacy of their personal information and data, shall be upheld by the researchers.
2.
Before distributing the questionnaire, the researcher must also have their full consent.
______________________________________________________________________________
CONSENT
I have read all the information mentioned above, or it has already been read to me by the
researcher. I have been given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the research, and all my
questions and concerns have been justified. I am aware that the researcher will keep a copy of
this form, and I will receive a copy of it as well. I give my full consent to voluntarily be involved
in and be a part of this research study.
(This section is mandatory.)
Printed Name of the Participant: ____________________________________________________
Signature of the Participant:
____________________
Date: __________________
Name and signature of the researcher: Rhogine Rose C. Abuan
Date: ___________
Name and signature of the researcher: Angelica T. Din
Date: ___________
Name and signature of the researcher: Priya O. Muksan
Date: ___________
56
APPENDIX C
POSTER
57
APPENDIX D
RAW DATA
1.
Independent Samples T-Test
Independent Samples T-Test
Statistic
COVID Stress Scales
Student's t
2.00 ᵃ
df
98.0
p
0.048
ᵃ Levene's test is significant (p < .05), suggesting a violation of the assumption of equal variances
Assumptions
Homogeneity of Variances Tests
COVID Stress Scales
Levene's
Variance ratio
F
df
df2
p
7.15
1
98
0.009
0.575
70
28
0.065
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
Tests of Normality
COVID Stress Scales
Shapiro-Wilk
Kolmogorov-Smirnov
Anderson-Darling
statistic
p
0.981
0.156
0.0913
0.375
0.789
0.039
58
APPENDIX D (continued).
Tests of Normality
statistic
p
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
Group Descriptives
COVID Stress Scales
Group
N
Mean
Median
SD
SE
Female
71
2.24
2.36
0.672
0.0797
Male
29
1.91
2.14
0.886
0.165
Statistic
df
Independent Samples T-Test
COVID Stress Scales
Student's t
2.00 ᵃ
98.0
p
0.048
ᵃ Levene's test is significant (p < .05), suggesting a violation of the assumption of equal variances
COVID Stress Scales
Group
N
Mean
SD
SE
Female
71
2.24
0.672
0.0797
Male
29
1.91
0.886
0.165
59
APPENDIX D (continued).
2.
Independent Samples T-Test
Independent Samples T-Test
COVID Stress Scales
Student's t
Statistic
df
p
0.975
98.0
0.332
F
df
df2
p
2.77
1
98
0.099
0.689
49
49
0.196
Assumptions
Homogeneity of Variances Tests
COVID Stress Scales
Levene's
Variance ratio
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
Group Descriptives
Group
COVID Stress Scales
N
Mean
Median
SD
SE
CS
50
2.22
2.39
0.678
0.0959
WA
50
2.07
2.31
0.817
0.116
60
APPENDIX D (continued).
Independent Samples T-Test
COVID Stress Scales
Student's t
Group
COVID Stress Scales
Statistic
df
p
0.975
98.0
0.332
N
Mean
SD
SE
CS
50
2.22
0.678
0.0959
WA
50
2.07
0.817
0.116
3.
Independent Samples T-Test
Independent Samples T-Test
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Statistic
p
894
0.303
Mann-Whitney U
Assumptions
Tests of Normality
Online Shopping Questionnaire
statistic
p
Shapiro-Wilk
0.920
< .001
Kolmogorov-Smirnov
0.156
0.015
3.13
< .001
Anderson-Darling
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
61
Tests of Normality
statistic
p
Group Descriptives
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Group
N
Mean
Median
SD
SE
Female
71
3.33
3.48
0.451
0.0536
Male
29
3.43
3.59
0.511
0.0949
Independent Samples T-Test
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Statistic
p
894
0.303
Mann-Whitney U
Group
N
Median
Female
71
3.48
Male
29
3.59
APPENDIX D (continued).
4.
62
Independent Samples T-Test
Independent Samples T-Test
Statistic
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Student's t
-8.59 ᵃ
df
p
98.0
< .001
ᵃ Levene's test is significant (p < .05), suggesting a violation of the assumption of equal variances
Assumptions
Homogeneity of Variances Tests
Online Shopping Questionnaire
F
df
df2
p
Levene's
41.2
1
98
< .001
Variance ratio
4.13
49
49
< .001
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
Tests of Normality
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Shapiro-Wilk
Kolmogorov-Smirnov
Anderson-Darling
statistic
p
0.984
0.258
0.0700
0.712
0.361
0.441
Note. Additional results provided by moretests
APPENDIX D (continued).
63
Group Descriptives
Group
Online Shopping Questionnaire
N
Mean
Median
SD
SE
CS
50
3.05
3.02
0.452
0.0639
WA
50
3.67
3.63
0.222
0.0314
Independent Samples T-Test
Statistic
Online Shopping Questionnaire
Student's t
-8.59 ᵃ
df
p
98.0
< .001
ᵃ Levene's test is significant (p < .05), suggesting a violation of the assumption of equal variances
Group
Online Shopping Questionnaire
N
Mean
SD
SE
CS
50
3.05
0.452
0.0639
WA
50
3.67
0.222
0.0314
64