WE INFLUENCE EACH OTHER IN DIFFERENT WAYS: A DYADIC EXAMINATION OF TPB IN PREDICTING COUPLE TOURISTS’ REVISIT INTENTIONS

Abstract

Couples make joint decisions for their shared travels. However, how such decisions are made, i.e., how different perceptions among two individuals interact and influence one another’s decision-making remains less studied. Conventionally, tourists’ decision-making literature were driven by an individual perspective, assuming one person’s decision is made through his or her own perceptions, beliefs, emotions, and past experiences. Among the prevalent decision-making theories, Ajzen (1991)’s Theory of Planned Behavior is among the most widely adopted. The theory posits that a person’s behavioral decision is subject to his or her Attitude toward the target behavior (Att), Subjective Norm (SN), and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC). However, such individual-focused approach overlooks the influences of the person’s relationship partner, who actively partakes the same decision-making. Couples’ decision-making should be viewed in a dyadic perspective where both intrapersonal and interpersonal mechanisms should be examined. Built upon the theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Actor Partner Independent Model (APIM), this research examines the mutual influence in couple decision-making regarding their revisit intentions. Specifically, we posit that both intrapersonal and interpersonal influences of the TPB (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control) impact on both members’ revisit intentions. The research uses a cross-sectional design with quantitative methods. Dyadic data involving 125 couples (250 individual responses) were collected onsite and analyzed with APIM and structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings suggest that above and beyond the intrapersonal effects of the TPB (Attitude, SN, and PBC), interpersonal effects of TPB predictors also significantly influence revisit intentions. This research contributes to the tourist decision-making literature by extending TPB to dyads and provides a nuanced understanding of how couples make a tourist decision. Practically, our research provides implications for hospitality and tourist service providers in devising their marketing strategies, especially for those who target couple or family customers.