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The Countability Effect: Comparative versus Experiential Reactions to Reward Distributions

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  • Jingjing Ma
  • Neal J. Roese

Abstract

The effect of inequity on satisfaction--people who are underbenefited are less satisfied than those who are overbenefited--is robust across many domains. However, various factors may moderate this effect, and a key perspective centers on value sensitivity. The present research demonstrates that countability (how easily a product or service can be counted using simple whole numbers) feeds into value sensitivity and thus moderates the impact of inequity on satisfaction. Across nine experiments, we show that when rewards are less easily counted, the effect of inequity on satisfaction is diminished. Further, this effect is rooted to a mechanism in which less countable rewards shift cognitive focus from value comparison to consumption experience. This research contributes to literature on value sensitivity, comparative thinking, numerical information processing, fairness, and happiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Jingjing Ma & Neal J. Roese, 2013. "The Countability Effect: Comparative versus Experiential Reactions to Reward Distributions," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 39(6), pages 1219-1233.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/668087
    DOI: 10.1086/668087
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    Cited by:

    1. Arnaud Monnier & Manoj Thomas, 2022. "Experiential and Analytical Price Evaluations: How Experiential Product Description Affects Prices [The Utility of an Information Processing Approach for Behavioral Price Research]," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 49(4), pages 574-594.
    2. Yu Hu & Yonggui Wang, 2020. "Marketing research in China during the 40-year reform and opening," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-29, December.
    3. Ye, Jun & Zhou, Kun & Chen, Rui, 2021. "Numerical or verbal Information: The effect of comparative information in social comparison on prosocial behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 198-211.
    4. Dong-Jin Lee & Grace B. Yu & M. Joseph Sirgy & Anusorn Singhapakdi & Lorenzo Lucianetti, 2018. "The Effects of Explicit and Implicit Ethics Institutionalization on Employee Life Satisfaction and Happiness: The Mediating Effects of Employee Experiences in Work Life and Moderating Effects of Work–," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 855-874, February.
    5. Robert A. Peterson & U. N. Umesh, 2018. "On the significance of statistically insignificant results in consumer behavior experiments," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 81-91, January.

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