Risk attitude toward epidemic and impulsive travel intention: influences on perceived helpfulness of online review

ABSTRACT To comprehend the unclear mechanisms through which risk attitude toward epidemics affects perceived helpfulness of online review, this study proposes a theoretical framework based on Dual Process Theory and Construal Level Theory to observe the mechanisms. Through empirical analysis based on 456 valid questionnaires, from review readers’ information processing manner perspective, risk-averse tourists prefer a systematic manner, whereas risk-appetite ones prefer heuristics manner, which leads to significantly higher perceived helpfulness for risk-averse than for risk-appetite ones. The mechanisms through which risk attitude directly negatively affects perceived helpfulness and also indirectly attenuates perceived helpfulness through inhibiting impulsive travel intention also are unveiled. As well as the moderating effects of two temporal distances that are defined as recovering from epidemic infection and near-future travel plans are underscored. These results indicate that risk attitude and impulsive travel intention are both antecedents of perceived helpfulness and provide new theoretical insights and feasible practical implications.