Manifesting hope in despair: Exploring prosocial behavioural outcomes of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has resulted into global devastation. This study attempts to explore the positive phenomenal impact of perceived pandemic anxiety resulting in prosocial behaviour (PB) through the mechanisms of self-awareness and spiritual transformation using terror management theory (TMT). The study also examines the moderating impact of conscious state expansion (CSE) on the self-awareness and spiritual transformation relationship, and the impact of this moderation effect is further tested separately on two gender groups. The data (N = 573) for the study were collected from the Punjab state of India during the ascending phase of outbreak. The results of PLS-SEM analysis reveal the significant influence of variables under study on prosocial behavioural outcomes. Taking insights from the findings of the study it becomes clear that during dreadful situations, when people experience the possibility of loss of life, their self-awareness level increases, which in turn results in their spiritual transformation. Such mechanism is observed more in the people possessing higher spiritual consciousness. The study concludes by recognising the positive role played by spiritual transformation (ST) in the evolution of the attributes of care and compassion for others, resulting in positive social consequences. The discussion, implications, limitations, and future directions are presented and discussed.