Crisis and Mood: Waiting in Line for Gasoline During the 1979 Oil Shock in the United States

The topic of crisis remains relevant. During this study's writing and editing process, the COVID-19 coronavirus disease appeared on the world's stage. Further, it is uncanny that in the final stage of the study's 2021 publication, the United States Atlantic Seaboard experienced a gasoline shortage after a cyberattack disabled a major pipeline resulting in crisis lines at gas stations. The study compares the mood of drivers waiting in line for a necessity in a national crisis, in this case, gasoline, during the oil shock of 1979 in the United States to those not waiting shortly after the crisis ended. It also examines how position in such crisis lines affects mood. All subjects answered yes-no adjective questions for anxiety, hostility, and positive affect. Line position was determined by counting the number of cars from the pump. Those waiting showed more hostility, anxiety, positive affect, and uncertainty than those not in line. During the crisis, those farthest from the pump showed greater hostility and less positive affect than those closer, but no difference in anxiety, with uncertainty moderating positive affect but not anxiety or hostility. The crisis occurred at a time when smartphones did not exist. The results suggest smartphones during a crisis would probably have their most significant positive impact if used to reduce uncertainty in fulfilling consumer information needs. Crisis, by its nature, is an unpredictable phenomenon that may explain why there are far more studies of the routine lines encountered in daily living, such as those at airports or call centers, than those experienced in crisis.