The effects of social disconnectedness, social media addiction, and social appearance anxiety on tourism students' career intentions: The moderating role of self-efficacy and physical activity

This study aims to explore the relationships between social disconnectedness, social media addiction, social appearance anxiety and the career intentions of hospitality and tourism students in the industry. Moreover, it examines the moderating roles of physical activity and self-efficacy on these relationships. Data were collected through questionnaires from undergraduate students at the departments of tourism management, gastronomy and culinary arts, recreation management and tourist guidance across nine different universities. A convenience sampling method, one of the non-probability sampling methods, was employed, reaching a total of 719 respondents. The study revealed that social disconnectedness increased social media addiction, which in turn escalated social appearance anxiety, thereby reducing the students' intention to build a career in tourism. Nevertheless, it was found that physical activity can mitigate the negative impact of social disconnectedness on social media addiction. Additionally, self-efficacy buffered the adverse effect of social appearance anxiety on the intention to pursue a career in tourism. The results of this study provide valuable insights and recommendations for tourism education and career counseling, enabling a deeper comprehension of the psychosocial factors that may influence students' career development and intentions.