Understanding the Uncivilized Tourism Behavior of Tourists: A Planned Behavior Model Based on the Perspectives of Cognitive Dissonance and Neutralization

Effectively regulating and managing the uncivilized tourism behavior of tourists is a key strategy for the sustainable development of tourism destinations. In this paper, the dissonance-neutralization model was proposed by integrating planned behavior, cognitive dissonance, and neutralization theories. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the impact and effect of this model on the uncivilized tourism behavior of 387 tourists at natural heritage sites. Overall, the research results show the following: (1) Uncivilized tourism behavior is not only determined by behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control. Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control also all have a significant influence on behavioral intention. (2) Cognitive dissonance is a parallel predictor of behavior. (3) Neutralization techniques can effectively reduce cognitive dissonance, thus allowing uncivilized tourist behavior to continue.