Pandemics are associated with panic buying (PB) of groceries and other supplies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, community leaders expressed frustration and bewilderment about PB. Psychological explanatory concepts, including those from social learning theory and the concept of the behavioral immune system, along with recent research, suggests the following account of pandemic-related PB. PB arises when people are told to go into self-isolation as part of pandemic containment interventions. Empirically, episodes of PB typically last 7–10 days and are likely initiated by highly fearful people. PB by an anxious minority of shoppers leads to fear contagion among other shoppers, amplified by widespread dissemination, via social media, of images and videos of PB and empty shelves in stores. Thus, a snow-balling effect arises where fear of scarcity creates real but short-term scarcity. People who are highly frightened of infection tend to have heightened disgust proneness. Toilet paper is a means of escaping disgust stimuli, and for this and other reasons, toilet paper became a target of PB for people frightened of contracting COVID-19. Exploitative or selfish over-purchasing also occurred, motivated by “dark” (e.g., psychopathic) personality traits. “Don’t panic!” messages from community leaders were ineffective or counter-productive. Alternative forms of messaging are discussed.

大流行与食品和其他用品的抢购（PB）相关。在COVID-19大流行期间，社区领导者对PB表示沮丧和困惑。心理解释概念，包括来自社会学习理论的概念和行为免疫系统的概念，以及最近的研究，提出了与大流行相关的PB的以下解释。当人们被告知要作为大流行遏制干预措施的一部分进行自我隔离时，就会出现PB。根据经验，PB发作通常持续7-10天，并且可能是由高度恐惧的人引起的。少数焦虑的购物者会导致PB引起其他购物者的恐惧蔓延，并通过社交媒体广泛传播PB的图像和视频以及商店中空荡荡的货架，从而加剧了这种传染。从而，在担心稀缺会造成真实但短期的稀缺的情况下，会产生滚雪球效应。受到感染高度恐惧的人往往更容易产生厌恶感。厕纸是逃避令人厌恶的刺激的一种手段，由于这个原因和其他原因，厕纸成为那些害怕感染COVID-19的人们的PB靶标。出于“黑暗”（例如精神病）性格特征的动机，还发生了剥削性或自私性的过度购买。“不要惊慌！” 来自社区领导人的信息无效或适得其反。讨论了消息传递的替代形式。对于害怕感染COVID-19的人们，厕纸已成为PB的目标。出于“黑暗”（例如精神病）性格特征的动机，还发生了剥削性或自私性的过度购买。“不要惊慌！” 来自社区领导人的信息无效或适得其反。讨论了消息传递的替代形式。对于害怕感染COVID-19的人们，厕纸已成为PB的目标。出于“黑暗”（例如精神病）性格特征的动机，还发生了剥削性或自私性的过度购买。“不要惊慌！” 来自社区领导人的信息无效或适得其反。讨论了消息传递的替代形式。