The behavioral contagion effect of tourists’ risk decision-making

This study investigated the contagion effect of other tourists' risk-seeking behavior on tourists' risk decision-making. It further examined the mediation of two contrasting motivational systems (approach-avoidance), and the moderation of destination management deterrence. Four experiments were conducted focusing on the risk decision-making of tourists in the context of undeveloped natural areas and tidal-bore watching settings. Independent samples t-tests, regression, and multivariate analysis of covariance were utilized to examine the proposed conceptual model. The results of Experiment 1 (n = 226) demonstrated that seeing other tourists' risk-seeking behavior had a contagion effect on tourists' risk decisions; specifically, other tourists' risk-seeking behavior increased tourists' risk-seeking intention but decreased their risk-aversion intention. Experiment 2 (n = 528) revealed the mediation effect of approach/avoidance motivation between the relationship of other tourists' risk-seeking and tourists' risk-seeking/avoidance intentions. Experiment 3 (n = 526) confirmed that destination management deterrence counteracted the behavioral contagion effect of tourist risk-seeking and induced more risk avoidance. Experiment 4 (n = 452) provided a holistic test of the conceptual model, demonstrating the robustness and validity of the findings. This study reveals the formation mechanism of tourists’ risk decision-making from a behavioral contagion perspective and offers management insights for tourist safety.