16 Chapter II Literature Review This chapter provides previous literature related to this study. This chapter also contains a summary of the state-of-the-art table. At the end of this section, some hypotheses will be constructed to explain this research's position. II.1 The COVID-19 pandemic and Vulnerability Consumer vulnerability refers to the challenging situations consumers face, where they lack control over themselves and depend on external factors (Yazdanparast & Alhenawi, 2022). It can occur when a person is powerless, out of control, and dependent on consumption situations that negatively affect their identity. Consumer vulnerability is an imbalance in market interactions or marketing influences, leading to helplessness and dependence. It is a complex and multidimensional condition associated with hampered consumption goals, impacting personal and social perceptions. It is not the same as unmet needs, consumer protection, discrimination, prejudice, or harm. Vulnerability is not just about protected or disadvantaged consumer groups; it is about losing control and facing obstacles in the consumer environment. It differs from harm in that it is more about restrictions on agency and choice than on specific characteristics that limit value attainment (Baker, et al., 2005). The vulnerability arises from individual states, characteristics, and external conditions that may hinder consumption goals and impact personal and social perceptions of self. For example, victims of natural disasters experience consumer vulnerability due to fear for their safety and loss of property (Baker, et al., 2007). Baker et al. (2005) emphasize the individual's experience of vulnerability and define it as a state, not a status, that includes solid fears and worries. Vulnerability is an experience that individuals actively seek to reduce as they pursue a return to normal life. Although vulnerability is a state, not a status, communities and individuals can remain vulnerable for relatively long 17 periods (Baker, et al., 2005). Complex recovery efforts mandated by natural disasters can perpetuate experiences of vulnerability for both individual community members and society. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant psychological impacts globally, including stress and depression, due to the health and life threats, fear of essential supply shortages, reduced social interaction, government powerlessness, and misinformation (Campbell & Murphy, 2020; Corbet et al., 2021; Galoni et al., 2020). Previous research on vulnerability has examined the relationship between resource scarcity, decision-making, and vulnerability (Briers et al., 2006; Hamilton et al., 2019). Scarcity is defined as a subjective feeling of having more needs than available resources, while resources are described as assets one wants to achieve as a desired end state (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2013; Dorsch et al., 2017).