Guests’ Desire for Relational Closeness with Hosts: The Roles of Attachment Styles

Abstract

Extant research is increasingly recognizing the importance of customer attachment styles in service settings because of its significance with regard to relationship marketing. This study examined the impact of guest attachment styles on the desire for relational closeness with hosts using perceived hospitality as a mediator of service evaluation. Findings show that guests with higher levels of attachment anxiety seek closer relationships with hosts, and those with higher levels of attachment avoidance spurn efforts towards relational closeness. Also, perceived hospitality mediates only the impact of attachment avoidance on the desire for relational closeness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.