Mask‐wearing has been one of the most prominent, conflicted, and deeply divided issues in the United States during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Across two studies, we seek to understand how beliefs and behaviors around mask‐wearing are associated with the relationship between anxiety about the coronavirus and feelings of control over one's health outcomes during the pandemic. In Study 1, we find that beliefs in the response efficacy of mask‐wearing moderate the relationship between anxiety and control. Study 2 extends these results by investigating the underlying process. Specifically, we find that the relationship between anxiety and control is mediated by self‐reported mask‐wearing behavior and that the relationship between anxiety and mask‐wearing behavior is moderated by consumers' perceived marketplace influence. These findings have important public policy and marketing implications in the context of physical, emotional, and economic well‐being.

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Social media has transformed the nature of communication and simultaneously given rise to paradoxesirresolvable situations where contradictory elements co-exist. These paradoxes are pervasive, and they can jeopardize consumer welfare because they are difficult to navigate. In this conceptual article, we argue that the principles of wisdom provide a unique and constructive lens through which to view the social media landscape with the aim of maximizing well-being. We illustrateThe first five authors led the writing and development of this manuscript. The remaining five contributors are listed alphabetically.

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In the United States, many volunteers contribute unpaid labor to nonprofit organizations. This labor includes direct volunteer service (working in close physical proximity to individuals who receive assistance, such as homeless and elderly individuals) and indirect volunteer service (administrative or fundraising tasks that do not require direct engagement with the target population). This paper extends the marketing theory of product contagion, in which proximity to disgust‐inducing stimuli devalues consumer products, to preferences for direct versus indirect volunteer activities. A study conducted among U.S.‐based adults found that higher sensitivity to disgust led to a greater preference for indirect volunteer service opportunities over direct volunteer opportunities. This result—which did not differ by gender—was mediated by the likelihood that indirect (vs. direct) volunteering was perceived as representative of volunteer work. Disgust sensitivity did not predict the total amount of volunteer work performed. Implications for recruitment and retention of volunteers are discussed.