A model of behavioral intentions to follow online travel advice based on social and emotional loneliness scales in the context of online travel communities: The moderating role of emotional expressivity. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Kwang-Ho; Hyun, Sunghyup Sean
• Is Part Of: Tourism management. Volume 48(2015)
• Page Start: 426
• Page End: 438
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Model of social and emotional loneliness scales -- Online travel community -- Online socialization -- User satisfaction -- Intention to follow travel advice; Tourism -- Periodicals; 338.4791
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2014.12.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-5177

Abstract

Abstract: This study proposes a comprehensive hybrid model of the use of online travel communities for social and emotional loneliness (OTS-SEL), identification with the peer group (IPG), peer communication (PCO), user satisfaction (USAT), and behavioral intentions to follow travel advice (INFTA). The study determines whether OTS-SEL is composed of three subdimensions of social loneliness, friend loneliness, and romantic loneliness based on a second-order stricture; tests a structural equation model to examine the relationships between OTS-SEL, IPG, PCO, USAT, and INFTA; and provides a multi-group analysis to investigate the moderating effect of emotional expressivity (EME) on the relationship between USAT and INFTA. The results provide support for all hypotheses except for the one about the relationship between IPG and USAT; have important implications; and offer interesting avenues for future research. Highlights: Online travel communities were used for social and emotional loneliness. Loneliness was measured using social, family, and romantic loneliness scales. User satisfaction increased with an increase in the level of peer communication. The moderating role of emotional expressivity exists in online community behavior. User satisfaction influenced intentions to follow online travel advice.