Emotional prototypes,emotional memory usages,and customer satisfaction

In this study, we investigated the positive and negative emotion concepts in the prototype perspective and then tested them on customer satisfaction. By studying 612 customers in luxury restaurants, we found that two levels of customer emotions (i.e. positive and negative emotions) as a super-ordinate level, 4 positive emotions (i.e. contentment, happiness, love, and pride) and 5 negative emotions (i.e. anger, fear, sadness, shame, and disgust) as a basic level, and 49 specific emotions as a subordinate level are significantly related to customer satisfaction. We also examined the moderating role of emotional memory (EM) usage in the relationship between consumers’ emotions and their satisfaction. We found that product (food and beverage)-related EM strengthens and service-related EM usage weakens the relationship between customers’ negative emotions and their satisfaction. Interestingly, we found that positive and negative emotions are significantly related to customer satisfaction regardless of experience and store-related EM usage.     

New insights into emotion valence and loyalty intentions in relational exchanges

This research examines how emotion valence and future intentions arising from relational exchanges with a service firm depend on a consumer's level of goal attainment and locus of causality (firm vs. self) of relational outcomes. Drawing on the theories of goal‐directed behavior and agency of causation, this study hypothesizes that levels of goal attainment and locus of causality influence the generation of positive emotions (gratitude), negative emotions (grudge and guilt), relational mediators (trust and commitment), and subsequent future intentions to remain loyal to the firm. Based on a controlled experiment with 284 subjects in a consumer‐determined relationship setting, the research finds that emotion valence and future loyalty intentions are contingent upon the fulfillment of relational objectives of individual consumers and the agency of causation for the outcome of the relational exchanges. In doing so, this study delineates the conditioning mechanism that directs how emotion valence influences behavioral intentions. The study contributes to the consumer behavior and services marketing literatures on consumption‐based emotions and has significant practice implications for relational behaviors.     

Express yourself: Facial expression of happiness,anger, fear,and sadness in funding pitches

We build upon theory from evolutionary psychology and emotional expression, including basic emotion theory and the dual threshold model of anger in organizations, to extend knowledge about the influence of facial expressions of emotion in entrepreneurial fundraising. First, we conduct a qualitative analysis to understand the objects of entrepreneurs' facial expressions of four basic emotions in their pitches: happiness, anger, fear, and sadness. This provides a base for our theorizing that the frequency of entrepreneurs' facial expression of each of these emotions exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with funding. We also argue that the frequency of changes in entrepreneurs' facial expressions is positively related to funding. We test our predictions with a sample of 489 funding pitches using computer-aided facial expression analysis. Results support inverted U-shaped relationships of the frequency of facial expression of happiness, anger, and fear with funding, but show a negative relationship of sadness with funding. Results further support that the frequency of change in entrepreneurs' facial expressions promotes funding.     

Predicting consumer behavior with two emotion appraisal dimensions: Emotion valence and agency in gift giving

Decades of emotion research have demonstrated the unique influences of many specific emotions on consumer behaviors. These countless numbers of emotion effects can make it difficult to understand the role of emotions in consumer behavior. The current research introduces a parsimonious framework that can predict the effects of emotions on the consumer behavior of gift giving with just two appraisal dimensions: valence and agency. A series of studies examining gift giving reveals that positive emotions exert positive effects on gift giving, independent of their agency. In contrast, agency does predict the effects of negative emotions on gift giving. Negative self-caused emotions increase gift giving, whereas negative other-caused emotions decrease gift giving. These findings seem to hold for inactive and active emotions, and for uncertain and certain emotions. Together, these findings make a unique theoretical and empirical contribution to the understanding of emotions in gift giving. Moreover, it provides a pragmatic framework for both academics and practitioners.     

旅游者参与、服务质量、消费情感对旅游者忠诚影响

旅游者参与是旅游者重要需求,通过参与达到正面的情感体验;在激烈的市场竞争中,实现旅游者忠诚是旅游地重要目标,因此对旅游者参与及相关变量对旅游者忠诚的影响研究具有重要意义。文章构建了旅游者参与对旅游者忠诚影响的整合模型,并提出若干研究假设。通过对武夷山观光旅游者调查获取基础数据,实证了旅游者参与、服务质量、消费情感、旅游者满意等变量的相互关系及其对旅游者忠诚的影响。研究发现,旅游者参与对服务质量、正面消费情感、旅游者满意具有显著直接正向影响,对负面消费情感具有显著直接负向影响,并通过服务质量、消费情感、旅游者满意三个中介变量对旅游者忠诚产生间接影响;服务质量通过旅游者满意对旅游者忠诚产生产生间接影响;消费情感对旅游者忠诚既产生直接影响,又通过旅游者满意对其产生间接影响;旅游者满意是旅游者忠诚的直接前因变量。最后指出研究局限及未来研究方向。     

孤独感对体验消费意愿的影响机理

随着经济的发展和社会的进步,体验消费的形式日益多样化,并逐渐在消费市场中占据重要地位。鉴于现有研究大多关注体验消费的结果变量,而缺乏对其前因变量如心理因素的探索,通过在线问卷调查收集有效样本1014份,并利用层次回归分析法、拔靴法等实证分析孤独感与体验消费意愿之间关系,探讨社交需求和自我建构在其中的作用。研究结果表明,孤独感对个体体验消费意愿具有显著正向影响,即个体感受到的孤独感越强,其为摆脱孤独感及相关负面情绪影响而进行体验消费的意愿越强;社交需求在孤独感对个体体验消费意愿的影响中起中介作用,即孤独感会激发个体产生社交需求,进而提高个体进行体验消费的意愿;自我建构调节了社交需求的中介作用,且相比于独立型自我建构个体,孤独感对依存型自我建构个体社交需求的影响更大,依存型自我建构个体进行体验消费的意愿更强。因此,为进一步推动体验消费产业发展,对企业而言,应积极关注孤独感等消费者内在心理因素,根据消费者心理与个人特质制定相关营销策略,满足消费者社交需求,缓解消费者孤独感;对商家而言,应积极向目标消费者传递体验产品社交价值,激发消费者依存型自我建构,满足消费者情感诉求;对政府而言,应关注居民心理状态,积极引导居民进行体验消费,加强社会成员心理健康建设。     

I Have Paid Less Than You! The Emotional and Behavioral Consequences of Advantaged Price Inequality

This study examines the emotion blends and the subsequent customer reactions that occur in advantaged price inequality situations, that is, when consumers learn that retailers charged them a lower price than what the same retailers charged another customer. Drawing on the appraisal theories of emotion and on social comparison theory, an experiment (n = 272) and a field study (n = 261) are conducted. The results reveal that in advantaged price inequality situations, customers experience a host of positive and negative emotions depending on two factors: the quality of relationship that the customer has with a disadvantaged other customer (neutral, positive, or negative) and the attribution of agency for the price advantage (situational attribution to competition, external attribution to store policies, or internal attribution to customer abilities). Positive emotions include happiness, gratitude, pride, and malicious joy; while negative emotions include pity, outrage, and guilt. These emotions are shown to mediate the occurrence of customer reactions (i.e., customer satisfaction, loyalty, WOM referral, and WOM activity). The article concludes with theoretical implications and recommendations for retail practitioners on how to use dynamic pricing.     

The examination of the relationship between experiential value and price fairness in consumers’ dining experience

Consumers enjoy sharing meaningful consumption experiences with others. The purpose of this study is to better understand this behavior by identifying the specific aspects of experiential value that motivate word of mouth behavior. To these ends, this study tests a model that proposes relationships among four types of experiential value (aesthetics, escapism, service excellence, and efficiency), satisfaction, price fairness, and word of mouth. The results indicate that, among the four types of experiential value, service excellence and efficiency are the most important determinants of post-consumption word of mouth. Accordingly, this research contributes a better understanding of experiential value and its effects on motivating favorable post consumption word of mouth promotion. Managerial implications providing a holistic perspective of consumer cognition, emotion, and motivation are provided.     

The consumer experience: The impact of supplier effort and consumer effort on customer satisfaction

Existing research on experiential offers often examines the impact of such offers on consumers’ evaluations (e.g., customer satisfaction). Yet existing research has neglected that experiential offers typically involve effort from both the supplier and the consumer – and neglected that effort can influence evaluations. To address this gap, the present study examines the impact of supplier effort and the consumer's own effort on the consumer's evaluation of experiential offers in terms of customer satisfaction. Two experiments, comprising two different experiential offers, were carried out. In both experiments, supplier effort (low vs. high) and consumer effort (low vs. high) were manipulated. Customer satisfaction was the dependent variable. The results show that high supplier effort boosts customer satisfaction, and that the effects of consumer effort are either absent or indirect with a negative impact. Moreover, the results indicate that a supplier effort-consumer effort gap (i.e., the consumer perceives that the supplier has expended more effort than the consumer) contributes positively to customer satisfaction.     

A cross-cultural perspective on the role of emotion in negative service encounters

The purpose of this research is to examine cross-cultural differences in emotional responses to negative service encounters and the consequent impact on behavioural intentions. Focus groups of UK and West African consumers discussed two video scenarios, described employee and consumer behaviour, and projected emotional responses. Although anger was a major emotion, African consumers emphasised feelings of ‘sadness’ (humiliation and embarrassment). Such feelings were more likely to influence switching and other behavioural intentions when attributable to employee behaviour. Differences were also identified in interpretations of employee behaviour and perceived attribution of negative emotions.     

The effect of consumer emotional disclosure on fairness perceptions

One way consumers cope with an unfair consumption experience is to express how they felt about it. Understandably, these disclosures are often rich with emotion. Does emotional disclosure in this context influence consumers' perceptions of fairness? Drawing hypotheses from the emotional disclosure literature, this research reveals that writing about emotions improves consumer fairness perceptions and satisfaction. However, the benefit of emotional disclosure disappears if the disclosure is solicited by the company perceived to be responsible for the unfairness and they do not offer redress. The findings lead to the recommendation that companies provide and facilitate opportunities for consumers to disclose to third parties the emotions arising from consumption experiences perceived as unfair. Implications for managing customer feedback, complaints, and negative word‐of‐mouth are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

仿冒品重复消费的动力机制

仿冒品现象已成为商业社会中备受关注的问题,而消费者的重复消费是它盛行的重要形态之一。本文建立消费者的仿冒品满意度整合模型,来明确仿冒品被重复消费的缘由与机制。通过调查和分析得到了以下主要结论:第一,消费者的产品涉入度、奢侈品消费动机、品牌消费认同和诚信意识对于仿冒品的绩效期望和绩效感知分别有较为显著的影响;第二,仿冒品的绩效期望和绩效感知分别对于它的满意度和重复消费有较为显著的正向影响。这些表明,仿冒品的重复性消费以消费者的专业性和诚实性为基础,并受到较高的消费预期和真实的用后感驱动。这些都为知名品牌战略制衡仿冒品提出了严峻挑战。     

Conceptualization of e-servicescapes in the fitness applications and wearable devices context: Multi-dimensions,consumer satisfaction,and behavioral intention

Based on the environmental psychology theory, this research conceptualizes and investigates the dimensions of e-servicescapes, and examines how each dimension influences fitness application and wearable device users’ emotions, satisfaction, and behavioral intention to continuously work out via the technology. This study employed three waves of surveys within the United States to collect data (N = 343), and conducted a path analysis to rigorously assess the proposed paths between identified constructs. The empirical findings revealed the significant determinants of negative emotion (i.e., usability, security, customization, entertainment value, interactivity, originality of design, relevance of information, and social factors) and positive emotion (i.e., usability, customization, entertainment value, interactivity, and relevance of information). Also, satisfaction was significantly impacted by both positive emotion and negative emotion, and behavioral intention was significantly influenced by positive emotion and satisfaction. Based on these findings, this study suggests theoretical (i.e., classification of the e-servicescape dimensionality and integration of the environmental psychology theory with the two-factor theory of motivation, focusing on a digital environment) and practical implications (i.e., ways to increase levels of consumer satisfaction with the technology and intention to continuously exercise with the technology) for scholars and practitioners in the fitness and mobile application/wearable device industries.     

Why bad feelings predict good behaviours: The role of positive and negative anticipated emotions on consumer ethical decision making

Research suggests that emotions can greatly influence consumer decision making and behaviours. Notwithstanding, our understanding of the role of anticipated emotions in what is an inherently complex deliberation process—that of consumer ethics—is still quite limited. The present study thus aims to address this gap, in two key ways: first, by measuring the influence of positive and negative anticipated emotions at each stage of the consumer ethical decision making process; and second by describing the specific emotions that most affect each component of the consumer ethical deliberation process and assessing their relative weight in predicting decisions involving ethical issues. Through the examination of 603 ethical situations and using multiple regression analysis, the findings indicate that anticipated emotions can account for up to 59% of the variance in consumer decisions involving ethics. Anticipating the experience of negative emotions as a result of carrying out an unethical behaviour was the affective component found to most influence consumer ethical deliberation process; and anticipated guilt was the discrete emotion exerting the greatest effect on consumer decision making in ethical situations. The findings indicate that more than feeling good, consumers avoid feeling bad; such that ethically favourable decisions emerge to prevent experiencing negative emotions in the future.     

The role of positive emotions in experiential decisions

This research examines how consumers experience decision making for experiential products such as vacations. We combine data from 1) ethnographic interviews, 2) online community discussion forums, and 3) an introspective vacation-planning task to explore the experience of emotion in the decision process and to develop a new model of decision making that extends extant decision theories. We find that consumers experience a variety of positive emotions as they plan vacations, from facilitative feelings that guide the plan to fantasy feelings consumed for pleasure. Positive emotions are most evident in reaction to imagery and when the consumer's self identity is salient, and often precede more analytic information processing. Overall, this research offers a richer understanding of the emotional nature of consumer decision making for experiential products and services.     

Negative emotions,value and relationships: Differences between women and men

Service experiences are characterized by emotions that help shape the value in use received by the customer. Negative emotion plays an important role in all of consumer psychology and all too often consumers experience some degree of negative emotion during a consumption experience. This research sheds light on how these negative shopping emotions experienced by men and women in a typical shopping environment affect value and relationships in the form of shopper behavior, commitment and share of wallet. A theoretical process is explained and modeled with a sample of mall shoppers. Results overall suggest that negative emotions affect the shopping experience more for women than for men in terms of perceived value and loyalty. In contrast, the behavior–commitment relationship is stronger for men.     

Anger Strays,Fear Refrains: The Differential Effect of Negative Emotions on Consumers’ Ethical Judgments

Although various factors have been studied for their influence on consumers’ ethical judgments, the role of incidental emotions has received relatively less attention. Recent research in consumer behavior has focused on studying the effect of specific incidental emotions on various aspects of consumer decision making. This paper investigates the effect of two negative, incidental emotional states of anger and fear on ethical judgment in a consumer context using a passive unethical behavior scenario (i.e., too much change received). The paper presents two experimental studies. Study 1 focuses on the interaction of moral intensity (amount of change) and incidental emotion state in predicting the ethical judgment while study 2 investigates the underlying causal mechanism behind the process, using a mediation analysis. The results reveal a significant interaction between moral intensity and incidental emotion. Specifically, individuals in the state of incidental fear exhibit higher levels of ethical judgment as the moral intensity increases as compared to individuals in the state of incidental anger. Further, perceived control is found to mediate the relationship between emotional state and ethical judgment under higher moral intensity condition.     

Creating low consumer product expectations

The introduction of generic grocery products brought warnings from trade observers that retailers might suffer negative consequences from consumer dissatisfaction with these products. This study investigated consumer expectations and the degree of satisfaction provided consumers by one category of generic products. The study also examined some relationships between the creation of these satisfaction levels and appropriate retail strategies.The study consisted of 320 homemakers evaluating the effect on posttrial satisfaction of positive and negative disconfirmation of expectations concerning generic peaches. The findings suggest that positive disconfirmation increased satisfaction ratings, whereas negative disconfirmation decreased satisfaction ratings. The relationship between merchandising techniques utilized on generic products and consumers' formation of expectations as observed in the study indicates that, in terms of creating satisfaction, promotion of generic products with essentially negative cues has been appropriate.     

A Regret Theory Approach to Assessing Consumer Satisfaction

Because consumer satisfaction is an important determinant of brandloyalty and word-of-mouth communications, it has been widely studied inthe marketing literature. Much of this literature follows theexpectancy-disconfirmation paradigm, which posits satisfaction to be afunction of the positive or negative disconfirmation of one'sexpectations about the chosen brand. This article proposes a richermodel of consumer satisfaction that incorporates effects ofexpectations about the options not ultimately chosen from theconsideration set. Specifically, we posit that the expectations aboutthe unchosen alternatives affect satisfaction with one's choice whenthat choice does not meet the expectations but will have little effectwhen the choice meets expectations. A series of experimental studiesprovide support for this approach.     

Fashion consumption using minimalism: Exploring the relationship of consumer well-being and social connectedness

The dominance of minimalism as a lifestyle among individuals and its influence on sustainable consumption has increased significantly; still, the concept within academic literature is conjecture in nature and exploratory to date. Also, a concrete definition of the concept and empirical evidence is lacking in academic literature and hence needs to be systemically established. In this context, minimalism has been proposed as a deliberate paradigm shift in consumer behavior grounded on the sustainable lifestyle principle. The data were collected using a highly structured questionnaire from 436 consumers and analyzed using process macros analysis techniques. The study indicates that minimalism is a sustainable lifestyle choice and helps people in achieving consumer well-being and life satisfaction focus on what matters the most in life and where to devote their energies. As a result, people with greater life satisfaction and consumer well-being are likely to experience more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions, eventually leading to an overall state of positive emotional well-being. Moreover, minimalists with high control over their consumption desire further strengthen this relationship. This research deepens the understanding of minimalism in an Asian context by opening a future research avenue and exploring the additional contributions minimalism can make. Moreover this study offers a clear rationale to understand why it is valuable for customers to incorporate minimalism into their lifestyles, which has the potential to motivate the manufacturer to seek more significant production modes which accord with the minimalistic lifestyle.