The Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) Model
Sujie Wang, 史东岳, Luyao Wang · CABI eBooks · 2026
The stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model is a conceptual framework used to understand and predict consumer behavior in response to various stimuli. Originating from the behaviorist tradition, it was introduced by Mehrabian and Russell and has been widely applied in fields such as marketing and consumer behavior. This chapter explores the S–O–R model’s application in tourism and hospitality, analyzing how environmental stimuli affect tourists’ psychological states and subsequent behaviors. Its components, key strengths, and weakness were investigated as well. Future research should focus on integrating advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and AI to create immersive experiences and combining the S–O–R model with theories from various disciplines to develop a comprehensive understanding of tourist behavior.