Will Social Distancing in Service Encounters Affect Consumers’ Value Perception During the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Role of Servicescape, Self-Efficacy, and Technological Intervention
研究服务场景中物理和心理距离如何影响消费者对服务场景的亲近感及价值感知，并考察自我效能和技术干预的调节作用，对疫情期间服务设计有参考价值。
This study investigates how physical and psychological distance from one's surroundings may influence one's perception of connectedness with the servicescape and, ultimately, perception of value. It also examines the effect of consumers' techno-psychological differences and interaction modes on this distance-closeness relationship. The researchers develop and test a conceptual framework of how personal cognitive traits and technological intervention may alter consumers' perceived connectedness to the servicescape and influence their perceived value in different service settings. Via a quasi-experiment design in three service scenarios, this research shows a synthetical effect of contactless technology in the distancing setting that may work more effectively on high self-efficiency customers to change their perceived closeness to the servicescape and further change their evaluation of the service. The findings reveal the practical implications of social distancing for different types of consumers in service encounters during or after the COVID-19 pandemic.