Abstract
The study of decision-making in the consumption of short tourism videos has garnered increasing attention with the proliferation of digital platforms. Prior research on external cues has predominantly centered on static online environments, such as e-commerce or review platforms, examining elements such as ratings, reviews, and platform design. However, significant gaps remain regarding the utility and limitations of external cues in dynamic, fast-paced contexts like short-video platforms. In particular, the boundary conditions under which external cues influence decision-making, and their interaction with cognitive and motivational mechanisms, are underexplored. Moreover, while rational and heuristic decision-making processes have been extensively studied, little is known about how these approaches coexist in tourism consumption, especially during pre-purchase behaviors shaped by both internal and external factors.This research investigates the interplay between external cues (high vs. low) and self-referencing (high vs. low) in shaping tourists’ click intentions, utilizing a 2 × 2 factorial design framework. External cues, such as peer engagement metrics (e.g., likes, comments, shares), play a crucial role in reducing decision uncertainty. Building on cue utilization theory and bounded rationality frameworks, this study highlights how the moderating role of self-referencing influences the effectiveness of peer engagement. High self-referencing amplifies motivation and strengthens the impact of peer engagement, facilitating quicker and more decisive actions. In contrast, low self-referencing leads to insufficient motivational arousal, limiting the utility of peer engagement and often resulting in decision suspension or extended cognitive processing. This nuanced interplay underscores the critical boundary conditions for the effectiveness of peer engagement in decision-making processes.
Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines behavioral experiments, eye-tracking, and electroencephalography (EEG) methodologies across three studies. Behavioral findings confirm the main effects of peer engagement and self-referencing on click intentions, while eye-tracking results reveal variations in cognitive effort under different self-referencing conditions. EEG data demonstrate the rapid activation of motivational mechanisms within 0–5s of exposure, highlighting the immediate influence of self-referencing on tourists’ decision-making processes.
This study provides an alternative perspective to traditional assumptions of the elaboration likelihood model, suggesting that motivation and involvement can also facilitate heuristic decision-making in fast-paced digital contexts. It identifies new boundary conditions for the effectiveness of external cues, extending cue utilization theory and offering empirical support for bounded rationality in the consumption of short tourism videos. Moreover, the integration of behavioral, eye-tracking, and EEG techniques underscores the value of multi-method approaches in advancing consumer behavior research. This research not only enriches theoretical frameworks but also provides actionable insights for digital marketing strategies, emphasizing the nuanced roles of external cues and self-referencing in influencing consumer behavior in the tourism sector.
| Date of Award | Jul 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Russa Yuan (Supervisor), Jie YU (Supervisor) & Wuke Zhang (Supervisor) |