How Does Rating Specific Features of an Experience Alter Consumers' Overall Evaluations of That Experience

Bibliographic Data

ID11074754
AuthorsKatie S Mehr (0000-0003-4941-3183, University of Alberta, corresponding author), Joseph P Simmons (0000-0002-8833-224X, University of Pennsylvania)
EditorsStacy Wood (0000-0001-5256-1772), Stephen A Spiller (0000-0001-6951-6046)
Year2024
Volume51
Issue4
Pages739-760
Publication date2024-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Consumer Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0093-5301 • E-ISSN: 1537-5277
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/jcr/ucae005
OpenAlexW4391172998
LanguageEN
References cited83

How does the way companies elicit ratings from consumers affect the ratings that they receive? In 10 pre-registered experiments, we find that consumers rate subpar experiences more positively overall when they are also asked to rate specific aspects of those experiences (e.g., a restaurant's food, service, and ambiance). Studies 1–4 established the basic effect across different scenarios and experiences. Study 5 found that the effect is limited to being asked to rate specific features of an experience, rather than providing open-ended comments about those features. Studies 6–9 provided evidence that the effect does not emerge because rating positive aspects of a subpar experience reminds consumers that their experiences had some good features. Rather, it emerges because consumers want to avoid incorporating negative information into both the overall and the attribute ratings. Lastly, study 10 found that asking consumers to rate attributes of a subpar experience reduces the predictive validity of their overall rating. We discuss implications of this work and reconcile it with conflicting findings in the literature

Business · Cognitive psychology · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Customer Service Quality and Loyalty · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Marketing · Psychology · Social Psychology

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