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Are we behaviorally immune to COVID-19 through robots?

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  • Xiong, Xiling
  • Wong, IpKin Anthony
  • Yang, Fiona X.

Abstract

In the context of the health risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists' choices have shifted to reflect a subconscious psychological mechanism – the behavioral immune system – that facilitates human organisms to better identify plausible threats to ones' health through environment cues. This research draws upon this theoretical lens to assess tourists' pre-trip hotel evaluation in two 2 × 2 between-subject experiments. Experiment 1 (robot vs. human) tested the service provider's effect on hotel selection evaluation through the mediation of sense of control and the moderation of pandemic risk. Experiment 2 examined this chain of relationship through the moderation of hotel type. This research contributes to the literature by underscoring the pathogen-avoidance mechanism in tourist evaluation and the peril of robotization.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiong, Xiling & Wong, IpKin Anthony & Yang, Fiona X., 2021. "Are we behaviorally immune to COVID-19 through robots?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:91:y:2021:i:c:s0160738321001900
    DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2021.103312
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Yawei & Kang, Qi & Zhou, Shoujiang & Dong, Yuanyuan & Liu, Junqi, 2022. "The impact of service robots in retail: Exploring the effect of novelty priming on consumer behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Liu, Xing (Stella) & Wan, Lisa C. & Yi, Xiao (Shannon), 2022. "Humanoid versus non-humanoid robots: How mortality salience shapes preference for robot services under the COVID-19 pandemic?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    3. Chan, Elisa K., 2023. "Pandemic experience and locus of protection," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    4. Yanan Jia & Anshul Garg & Peihua Shi, 2024. "Research on Factors Influencing Hotel Consumers’ Health: A Systematic Review and Ways Forward," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-17, March.
    5. Choi, Sungwoo & Wan, Lisa C. & Mattila, Anna S., 2024. "Unintended indulgence in robotic service encounters," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    6. van Esch, Patrick & Cui, Yuanyuan (Gina) & Das, Gopal & Jain, Shailendra Pratap & Wirtz, Jochen, 2022. "Tourists and AI: A political ideology perspective," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    7. Huiyue Ye & Sunny Sun & Rob Law, 2022. "A Review of Robotic Applications in Hospitality and Tourism Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-15, August.
    8. Choi, Sungwoo & Yeon, Jihwan & Song, Hyoung Ju & Hu, Jihao, 2023. "Information technology as a buffer against COVID-19," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

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