The application of social psychology theories and concepts in hospitality and tourism studies: A review and research agenda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was the review of 282 papers that pertain to the application of social psychology theories and concepts presented in 12 leading academic journals published between 1999 and 2012. The papers were sorted by theory and concept, application level, journal, publication year, subject area, and statistical technique. The most frequently used theories were found to be social exchange, equity, and cognitive dissonance theories. The present paper offers a pioneering attempt to evaluate the use of social psychology theories and concepts in hospitality and tourism studies as well as identifying future research opportunities.