Consumer perception of products and experiences has been reinvented over the past years due to the global pandemic, redefining global consumption and priorities.
Time Perception
The pandemic, subsequent lockdowns, and varied regional reopening have warped people’s sense of time. Add in the sudden shift to a remote workforce in multiple time zones and the concept of time seemed non-existent.
Academics named the lack of time perception the “quarantine paradox”.
Whether people were stress-baking, gardening, or hosting virtual cocktail parties, a vast majority of people spent time reflecting on the good old days. This memory-to-time reflection is part of a wider behavioral trait psychologists term the “reminiscence bump”.
Photo Credit: Anna Shvets
Numbness
Emotional plurality was a defining feature of 2020, as we occupied multiple emotional states simultaneously in an ever-changing world.
The realities of racial injustice, political polarization, institutional reforms, workers’ rights, and the climate crisis came into sharper view.
As a result, desensitization has emerged as a defense mechanism against emotional overload and led to greater apprehension about the future, which has been dubbed “FOFO” (fear of finding out).
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Hope
2020 taught us that people need hope. Neuroscientists have been investing in the science of hope and found that when people feel hopeful, the brain releases neurochemicals that mimic the effects of morphine.
The brain can overcome hurdles and move to a place of recovery. Whereas optimism embodies a belief in better days, hope acknowledges our personal responsibility in making them happen.
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Cautious Motivation
It’s anticipated that by 2023, coronavirus vaccines will be deployed in most countries and the pandemic will likely be under control, but that won’t mean a rapid return to pre-pandemic normality. People will want to dip their toes back into a life beyond their front door – whether it be shopping or drinks with friends – but companies shouldn’t expect them to dive back in.
Cautious motivation will be a key sentiment for both social experiences and self-improvement.
Image Source: Hong Nguyen / Unsplash
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