Boycotting Asian restaurants: The effect of mortality salience, contagion name, and media exposure on boycotting

During the pandemic, many Asian-related hospitality businesses have been experiencing an uptick of discriminatory boycotting from customers. However, due to the scarcity of pandemics, little is known about how the pandemic influences customers’ xenophobic boycotting responses towards ethnic-related hospitality brands. To address literature gaps, grounded in the terror management theory, the present study investigates the effects of mortality salience on brand boycotting via anxiety under the influence of the different contagion names and media exposure. The result of Study 1 demonstrated a significant three-way interaction effect of mortality salience (low vs. high), contagion name (country name vs. scientific name), and media exposure (low vs. high) on anxiety. The finding of study 2 further suggested that anxiety mediated the relationship between the three-way interaction effect and the brand boycott. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed. • During the pandemic, anti-Asian racism and hostility towards Asians are observed, including boycotting and harassing of employees. • Little is known about how the pandemic influences customers’ xenophobic boycotting responses towards ethnic brands. • Mortality salience effect on boycotting was investigated, with anxiety (mediator) and contagion names and media exposure (moderators). • A significant three-way interaction of mortality salience, contagion name, and media exposure on anxiety was found (Study 1). • The Study 2 further suggested that anxiety mediated the relationship between the three-way interaction effect and the brand boycott.