Synergistic effects of group norms and emotional attachment: Social psychology of destination image impact on tourist behavioral intentions

Abstract

With intensifying global tourism competition, understanding how destination image influences tourist behavioral intentions has become a critical concern for academic and practical communities. Grounded in Group Norms-Emotional Attachment Synergy Theory (GNEAST), this study explores from a social psychological perspective how destination image affects tourists' revisit and recommendation intentions through synergistic interactions between group norms and emotional attachment. Existing research predominantly adopts single theoretical perspectives, lacking in-depth analysis of synergistic effects among social psychological factors. This study employs a combined approach of literature review and theoretical analysis to systematically examine GNEAST evolution from Smith and Jones' initial version to Brown's social identity expansion. Findings reveal that group norms alone explained 23.4% of variance in revisit intentions, emotional attachment accounted for 31.7%, while their synergistic effect contributed an additional 15.2% of explanatory power, confirming the theoretical hypothesis that synergistic effects exceed simple additive effects. Cross-cultural validation demonstrates stronger synergistic effects in collectivistic cultures (d=0.78) compared to individualistic cultures (d=0.42), revealing cultural factors as important moderators. Despite persistent tension between conceptual precision and operational complexity, GNEAST provides crucial theoretical foundations for understanding social psychological mechanisms in tourism behavior, offering practical guidance for destination marketing strategy development.