APPLYING CAUSAL MAPPING TO TOURISM RESEARCH: A CASE STUDY OF AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES IN CHINA STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS

This article utilizes causal mapping technique to examine how influential psychological factors in one's judgment, both conscious and unconscious, contribute to tourist behaviors. Through analyzing qualitative data generated from extensive interviews of two US college students who participated in study abroad programs in China, this research provides insight into the students' decision-making process, particularly influencers that affect these decisions when choosing the programs. Students' specific motivations, origin of perceptions, the strength of influential relationships, and the ramifications of in-country experiences were also discussed. The study demonstrates the utility of causal mapping in deciphering tourists' thought processes. Further, the results provide insights and implications about marketing China as a study abroad destination for American students.