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The Influence of Incidental Similarity on Observers’ Causal Attributions and Reactions to a Service Failure

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  • Lisa C Wan
  • Robert S WyerJr.
  • Vicki G Morwitz
  • Amna Kirmani
  • Valerie S Folkes

Abstract

Observers’ reactions to a service failure and their attributions of responsibility for its occurrence can depend on fortuitous characteristics of the protagonists that happen to draw their attention. Four field and laboratory experiments show that when observers have an incidental similarity to one of the persons involved in a service failure (the customer or the service provider), their attention is drawn to this protagonist, often leading them to construe the situation from this person’s perspective and consequently to blame the protagonist less for the negative event they observe. However, when an incidentally similar protagonist is rude or has an undesirable personal characteristic (i.e., obesity), observers’ greater attention to that person increases their attributions of responsibility to him or her rather than decreasing it. These opposing effects of incidental similarity on attributions influence not only observers’ evaluations of the persons involved in the situation they observe, but also their willingness to patronize the establishment. These effects occur both when observers actually witness a conflict offline and when they consider it online on the basis of reviews.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa C Wan & Robert S WyerJr. & Vicki G Morwitz & Amna Kirmani & Valerie S Folkes, 2019. "The Influence of Incidental Similarity on Observers’ Causal Attributions and Reactions to a Service Failure," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 45(6), pages 1350-1368.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:1350-1368.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jcr/ucy050
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Chan, Elisa K. & Wan, Lisa C. & Yi, Xiao (Shannon), 2022. "Smart technology vs. embarrassed human: The inhibiting effect of anticipated technology embarrassment," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Mansur Khamitov & Yany Grégoire & Anshu Suri, 2020. "A systematic review of brand transgression, service failure recovery and product-harm crisis: integration and guiding insights," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 519-542, May.
    3. Alhouti, Sarah & Wright, Scott A. & Baker, Thomas L., 2021. "Customers need to relate: The conditional warm glow effect of CSR on negative customer experiences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 240-253.
    4. Zhao, Taiyang & Ran, Yaxuan & Wu, Banggang & Lynette Wang, Valerie & Zhou, Liying & Lu Wang, Cheng, 2024. "Virtual versus human: Unraveling consumer reactions to service failures through influencer types," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    5. Xu, Xing'an & Liu, Juan & Gursoy, Dogan, 2022. "Emotional intelligence similarity in service recovery," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    6. Barbarossa, Camilla & Buzeta, Cristian & De Pelsmacker, Patrick & Moons, Ingrid, 2022. "Foreign company misconduct and how consumers’ punitive intent is influenced by country stereotypes and the perceived similarity between the foreign country and the home country," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    7. Chen, Nuoya & Mohanty, Smaraki & Jiao, Jinfeng & Fan, Xiucheng, 2021. "To err is human: Tolerate humans instead of machines in service failure," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    8. Wei, Chuang & Liu, Maggie Wenjing & Keh, Hean Tat, 2020. "The road to consumer forgiveness is paved with money or apology? The roles of empathy and power in service recovery," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 321-334.

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