Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies
This paper extends prior research into the role of social comparison in service recovery by investigating the role of both downward and upward social comparison. Social comparison theory and attribution theory are applied to explore the differences in how upward and downward inter-customer compariso...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92621 |
| _version_ | 1848765650752765952 |
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| author | Chen, Ke Wu, Zhan Sharma, Piyush |
| author_facet | Chen, Ke Wu, Zhan Sharma, Piyush |
| author_sort | Chen, Ke |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper extends prior research into the role of social comparison in service recovery by investigating the role of both downward and upward social comparison. Social comparison theory and attribution theory are applied to explore the differences in how upward and downward inter-customer comparison affects post-recovery satisfaction and word-of-mouth intentions. The mediating role of distributive justice perceptions and the moderating effects of the attribution of inter-customer differences in service recovery and customers’ justice sensitivity are also examined. Two online scenario-based experimental studies show that downward social comparison leads to greater satisfaction and lower negative word-of-mouth intentions. In addition, distributive justice mediates the relationship. Finally, attribution of difference in inter-customer influence and individual-level justice sensitivity moderate these effects. Besides its conceptual contributions, the findings from this paper may help managers design more effective service recovery strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:38:38Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-92621 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:38:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-926212023-07-17T07:26:39Z Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies Chen, Ke Wu, Zhan Sharma, Piyush This paper extends prior research into the role of social comparison in service recovery by investigating the role of both downward and upward social comparison. Social comparison theory and attribution theory are applied to explore the differences in how upward and downward inter-customer comparison affects post-recovery satisfaction and word-of-mouth intentions. The mediating role of distributive justice perceptions and the moderating effects of the attribution of inter-customer differences in service recovery and customers’ justice sensitivity are also examined. Two online scenario-based experimental studies show that downward social comparison leads to greater satisfaction and lower negative word-of-mouth intentions. In addition, distributive justice mediates the relationship. Finally, attribution of difference in inter-customer influence and individual-level justice sensitivity moderate these effects. Besides its conceptual contributions, the findings from this paper may help managers design more effective service recovery strategies. 2023 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92621 10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103477 Elsevier restricted |
| spellingShingle | Chen, Ke Wu, Zhan Sharma, Piyush Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title | Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title_full | Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title_fullStr | Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title_short | Role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: Testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| title_sort | role of downward versus upward social comparison in service recovery: testing a mediated moderation model with two empirical studies |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/92621 |