Unpacking risk aversion and uncertainty avoidance: an analysis from a tourists’ personality traits and information search perspective

ABSTRACTTourists’ behaviours are significantly affected by their risk aversion and uncertainty avoidance. However, several studies found that these two traits are often used interchangeably. Using partial-least-squares structural equation modelling to analyse data obtained from 386 Chinese residents, this paper unpacks how two concepts relate to tourists’ personality traits and their various information search behaviours. While results confirm similarities between the two concepts, including how they affect tourists’ pre-purchase information search and their associations with personality traits such as agreeableness, extraversion, and openness, they also surface their inconsistent association with conscientious and neurotic personalities traits, as well as tourists’ ongoing information search behaviour. Findings suggest that the relationship between risk aversion and uncertainty avoidance is more complex than previously thought, with some apparent dissimilarities in terms of how each concept affects consumer behaviour. Future research and practice in tourist management should consider these two interrelated but not always identical concepts to arrive at more precise conclusions.KEYWORDS: Tourism managementrisk aversionuncertainty avoidancepersonality traitsconsumer information-seeking behaviours Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Data availability statementThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRongbin YangRongbin Yang is a marketing professional and researcher. He provides consulting services to SMEs and not-for-profit organisations. He also teaches business courses for several institutes in Australia. His current research interests include the effects of perceived risk and uncertainty. His research papers have been accepted by international conferences and journals, such as Leisure Sciences, the International Journal of Consumer Studies, and others.Peter O'ConnorPeter O'Connor is a Professor of strategic management at University of South Australia Business School. His primary research, teaching and consulting interests focus on the use of technology in online retailing and marketing. He has published in Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Marketing, and others.Santoso WibowoSantoso Wibowo is an Associate Professor and postgraduate research coordinator at Central Queensland University. His research interests are intelligent information systems, multicriteria decision analysis, approximate reasoning, and knowledge management. He has published in Journal of Cleaner Production, People & Information Technology, and others.