Exploring the Effect of Emotions on Mobility-Disabled Tourists’ Experience at Museums (Published)

This paper aims to assess the effect of perceived quality of museum physical environment on emotions and behavioral intentions of mobility-disabled visitors and to test the mediating role of emotions between perceived quality and behavioral intentions in the museum context. A survey questionnaire is developed and then tested for reliability and validity using a sample of museum mobility-disabled visitors. EFA and CFA were used to identify factors and to assess model validity. SME was performed to test the hypothesized relationships. The accessibility dimensions of the museum physical environment were the key factors affecting the disabled emotional affect. Results revealed that the negative emotions have a greater impact on visitors’ behavioral intentions than positive emotions. Furthermore, the study shows that emotions play a mediating role between museum physical environment and behavioral intentions. The study provides museum managers with a conceptual and empirically verified framework that captures disabled visitors’ perceptions of museum physical environment and the potential effect of emotions on behavioral intentions. Therefore, museum managers can assess the quality of certain services designed for visitors with special needs. This study serves as an exploratory research that investigates the effect of emotions on the disabled experience thus providing a better understanding of the emotional side of mobility-disabled tourist experience. 

Keywords: Emotions, Mobility-Disabled, Museum Physical Environment