The impact of place attachment and ecological behavior on the consumer resistance toward change

Abstract

Place attachment has been considered in many disciplines such as leisure sciences or environmental psychology and through many approaches. However, little has been done on the relationship between the consumer and the place of service. In this context and based on recent findings in human attachment literature and especially place attachment theory, this research offers a conceptual framework explaining the process by which consumer resistance emerges from emotional and social bonds (objective vs subjective, internal, and external connections). This study examines how Place Attachment leads individuals to resist consumption in touristic places that could introduce changes in places in which they are born, live or act. This research aims to clarify the concept of place attachment by identifying its main dimensions and providing a better understanding of the concept of resistance toward change. We argue that attachment-resistance links have received little interest in the marketing literature. Empirically, qualitative research was carried out using in-depth interviews and ethnography, followed by a quantitative study conducted in two Tunisian regions namely Kelibia (North East) and El Djerid (South West) to highlight the behavior of consumers identified as “place attached” acting save nature and place environment. Our results show that the three sub-dimensions of place attachment-place dependence, place identity, and place affect - are significantly associated with ecological behavior. So attachment to places is an important antecedent of pro-environmental behaviors and attitudes. Our findings offer some insights for both academicians and practitioners operating in the field of tourism projects to better understand the behavior of local consumers and visitors to these places.