Rayenda Khresna Brahmana

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia

raye_brahm@yahoo.com

OPTIMISM AND CONSUMPTION: PSYCHOLOGICAL COSTS

OF MALAYSIA-SULU DISPUTE

Simon Kopong

Centre for Policy Research and International Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

sapporata@gmail.com

Ritzky Karina Brahmana

Universitas Kristen Petra Surabaya, Siwalankerto, Jawa Timur, Indonesia

karina@petra.ac.id

Abstract. This research aims to examine the moderating effect of optimism on the relationship between psychological cost and consumption level during disputes. Psychometric-based questionnaire was developed and distributed in March 2013 to find Sabahan had severe symptoms of stress. This stress level induced the consumption level and also leisure cost in attempts to overcome the dispute. Interestingly, those Sabahans who were more inclined to optimism-might rethink their consumption/spending decision making. In other words, there is a moderating effect of optimism on the relationship between stress level and consumption during disputes.

Received: May, 2015

1st Revision: October, 2015

Accepted: November, 2015

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-4/16

JEL Classification:N45

Keywords: Stress Level; Optimism; Consumption; Dispute; Sabah Malaysia.