The Role of Attributions in Customer Satisfaction: A Re-Examination

9 Pages Posted: 26 Oct 2013

See all articles by Michael Tsiros

Michael Tsiros

University of Miami - Department of Marketing

Vikas Mittal

Rice University

William T. Ross

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Marketing

Date Written: September 2004

Abstract

We investigate the role of disconfirmation, responsibility, and stability attributions in the formation of satisfaction judgments. Building on the valence-expectancy framework, we find that disconfirmation and attributions impact satisfaction in a complex manner. Besides its main effect, responsibility moderates disconfirmation’s effect on satisfaction, manifested as a two-way interaction between the two. Disconfirmation and responsibility jointly determine the valence component, and stability determines the expectancy component of the satisfaction evaluation. This is consistent with the three-way interaction among stability, responsibility, and disconfirmation that we also find. These results clarify past studies and provide new insights about the relationship among the constructs.

Keywords: Disconfirmation, responsibility, stability

Suggested Citation

Tsiros, Michael and Mittal, Vikas and Ross, William T., The Role of Attributions in Customer Satisfaction: A Re-Examination (September 2004). Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2004, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2343894

Michael Tsiros

University of Miami - Department of Marketing ( email )

United States

Vikas Mittal (Contact Author)

Rice University ( email )

6100 South Main Street
250 McNair
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

William T. Ross

Pennsylvania State University - Department of Marketing ( email )

University Park, PA 16802-3306
United States

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