Toilet Paper and Water

On March 2, 2020, the Corona Virus had spread to over 80,000 people in China yet there were only 2 confirmed cases in the United States.  On that same day, my wife and I took a trip to Costco. We were not surprised to see people buying toilet paper and water, but we were surprised to see who was buying these 2 products.  The percentage of Asians purchasing toilet paper and water was significantly higher than the percentage of Caucasions making similar purchases. I had to ask myself the question, “what is causing two groups in Parker Colorado to react so differently to this threat?”

There is usually not one easy answer, but at least part of the puzzle can be explained by the differences in the two ethnicities.  influence of race forces of identity and and be pieced together by examining the forces of identify and culture , social proof, and cultural training to explain the unusual behavior in Costco.

Psychological Identity – A central element of our identities can be our race and ethnicity.  Erik Erickson and James Marcia have developed a model that maps the effect of ethnicity and race on the development and strength of one’s personal identity.  One key finding is that ethnicity plays a much greater role in one’s life when a person lives as a minority. “Ethnic identity may play a larger role among minority youth because they experience the contrasting and dominant culture of the majority ethnic group.  Youth who belong to the majority ethnic culture may not even recognize or acknowledge their ethnic identity [1].”

Social Proof – We tend to find out what is correct behavior by finding out what other people think is correct.  This is called social proof and is a key determinant in how we act. Social proof is a coping mechanism for all people in a society to ease the burden of complex societies.  For example, I walk into the DMV to get my license renewed. I usually look for where lines are formed to know where to go. This is simply acting on social proof to guide my behavior.  It provides an efficient short cut on determining how to act. Many studies have been done that show the power of social proof. A simple test of its power can be done by a group of 4 friends.  On a city block on a busy afternoon have one friend stare up at the sky and it will probably have little effect on those passing by. The next day have the four friends stand on the same city block and stare up at the sky.  It has been statistically demonstrated that 80% of those who view these 4 friends will also gaze into the nothingness of the sky. It you recognize this happening it will be almost impossible not to gaze yourself at the empty spot in the sky.

Uncertainty and similarity cause social proof to exert it strongest influence.  In uncertain times we tend to rely more heavily on social proof to tell us what to do.   For example, if I travel to Manhattan, I would have more uncertainty than if I were in downtown Denver.  In Manhattan, if I were trying to cross the street or get on the subway, I would more readily watch others and emulate what I perceive as the proper behavior.  Uncertainty causes us to be much more susceptible to social proof. Similarity also has a powerful impact on Social Proof. We are more apt to be influenced by people who are similar to us.  For example, a study was done on a campus where people fund raising were able to more than double donations by telling the contributor that they were also college students just like them. Another study that demonstrated the power of similarity in effecting behavior was found by health researchers when they tried to roll out anti-smoking campaigns.  The only program that had lasting effects on the youth was when they used same age peer leaders as the teachers and subjects of the discussion.    

Cultural training – At lunch I explained this interesting observation to an Asian friend who grew up in Hawaii.  From her background experience it did not surprise her at all. Growing up in Hawaii and with Japanese heritage she said “we are taught to prepare for emergencies.  In Hawaii or Japan when there is warning of a natural disaster, we act on it.”

Understanding these forces help understand what may seem an odd difference in behavior between the Asians and Caucasians at Costco.  Douglas County Colorado is a racially unbalanced community with 93% Caucasian and only 3% of the community Asian. As the studies demonstrate by Erik Erickson and James Marcia, minorities tend to experience a heightened sense of racial and ethnic self-identity.  This would apply to a person of Chinese or Asian heritage to some extent, even if they had never traveled out of America. Thus, Asians living in Parker Colorado would be more influenced by the actions of those across the globe in China because of their racial identity.  The current environment in America is very uncertain. Many of us American’s are unfamiliar with natural disasters and especially with Pandemics. We are all trying to figure out what to do and in these uncertain circumstances we are all prone to be influenced by Social Proof factors.  Fortunately for those, of Asian race, living in Parker they have an advantage in being compelled to follow the example those who know how to properly respond. Those Asians living abroad have been taught to prepare and act and they have had ample experience to test their preparedness. Simply stated, American Asians watch and simulate members of their same race on the other side of the globe prepare by buying essentials like toilet paper and water while the rest of us American’s focus on buying low and selling high on the stock market.

[1] Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity development in minority group adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 9, 34-49v