Zhuofan Zhang, Ruth Chatelain-Jardon and Jose Luis Daniel
By developing a unidimensional scale of place attachment, this study investigates the role of place attachment in an experiential consumption context, including its relationship to insecurity and regulatory focus. A series of survey studies were conducted in order to test the reliability and validity of the scale of place attachment. Specifically, Study 1 examined the scale using EFA, CFA, and model fit; Study 2 examined the discriminant and convergent validity of the scale; Study 3 investigated the relationship between place attachment and four types of insecurity; and Study 4 examined the relationship between place attachment and regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention). There is strong reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity to the scale of place attachment we developed. In addition, we discovered that place attachment is related to existential insecurity as well as social insecurity, but not to personal insecurity or developmental insecurity. Also, place attachment mediates the relationship between promotion focus, rather than prevention focus, and tourists’ intention to visit a place only when the tourists have developed fondness or strong emotions for it. As a result of the study, we concluded that in order to enhance promotion focus, the promotion ad should describe how the visiting place can assist an individual in accomplishing his or her goals.