I think the stock up has two different origins
Intitially, there were the 'entrepreneurs' who figured they could corner a market on something and make bank on resale. That's largely died off as resale centers like ebay have clamped down and social shaming has risen up.
But for the rest, I think it comes in stages. First you notice if you're short on supplies, then you talk yourself into the effort to resupply. THEN, when you get there and you see the mayhem, and you get caught up in the frenzy, you talk yourself into securing as much as your pocketbook and storage space will allow. Basically, when faced with a purchase decision, people are getting caught up in both the effort to get the supplies and how the frenzy of others affects how you think the next attempt will go.
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