Research on Unrealistic Optimism among HoReCa Workers as a Possible Future Hotspot of Infections

Dariusz Dolinski, Wojciech Kulesza, Paweł Muniak, Barbara Dolinska, Ali Derakhshan and Tomasz Grzyb
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Dariusz Dolinski: Faculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 53-238 Wrocław, Poland
Wojciech Kulesza: Centre for Research on Social Relations, Warsaw Faculty, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland
Paweł Muniak: Centre for Research on Social Relations, Warsaw Faculty, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland
Barbara Dolinska: Faculty of Social Sciences, Opole University, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Ali Derakhshan: Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Social, Sciences, Shahid Beheshti Campus, Golestan University, Gorgan 49138-15759, Iran
Tomasz Grzyb: Faculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 53-238 Wrocław, Poland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: As we are facing a new surge of the highly infectious delta variant of COVID-19, there is an urgent need for research to reduce the harm before this next wave hits. In the present paper, we present data that is alarming. We have found that HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, and catering services) workers, who are highly exposed to many new social interactions in close contact, present an unrealistic optimism (UO) bias: they perceive themselves as less at risk to this virus in comparison to others. From the literature, we already know that individuals holding this view are less involved in preventive actions and present more risky behaviors. In the face of the delta variant, this leads to the conclusion that restaurants will be new hot spots. What is more, we found that these unrealistic expectations are more pervasive: workers of the restaurant industry estimate low chances of bankruptcy, which may lead to unrealistic salary expectations, leading owners to a new upcoming wave of crisis: COVID-19 and bankruptcy—both of which may be caused by their workers.

Keywords: hospitality; restaurants; COVID-19; unrealistic optimism; unrealistic pessimism; HoReCa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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