Post-Disaster Consumption: Thrift or Extravagance?

This thesis examines the influence of natural disasters on consumers' preferences for thrift and extravagance. Across a qualitative study and six experiments, this thesis reveals that disasters prompt either upward or downward counterfactual thinking, which in turn influences consumer thrift or extravagance. Consumer mindset mediates the relationship between counterfactual thinking and consumer behaviour. Furthermore, these effects are moderated by self-discrepancy.