What do they think of us? Effects of negative meta-stereotypes on hotel employees in China

Abstract

How do hotel employees react when they become aware that customers harbor stereotypes towards them? Building on the theory of social identity threat, this research investigates the threat that negative meta-stereotypes (NMSs) pose to hotel employees. Two cross-sectional surveys and two experimental studies were conducted and an easy-to-apply scale for NMSs is proposed. The results indicated that the activation of NMSs triggered intense intergroup anxiety among hotel employees, with adverse effects on work-related outcomes. Furthermore, these effects were moderated by power distance belief (PDB). NMSs intensified intergroup anxiety amongst hotel employees with high PDB, while this effect was attenuated for those with low PDB. The research proposes a fresh theoretical framework for the study of stigmatization which is widespread across the hotel industry.