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A desires congruency model of consumer satisfaction

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Abstract

The disconfirmation of expectations model has been increasingly criticized in recent years and, as a result, standards other than expectations have been suggested. The present research proposes consumer desires, based on means-end theory, as the comparison standard. Results of an experiment show that the extent to which performance is congruent with desires is a powerful antecedent to satisfaction, while the effect of disconfirmation of expectations is nonsignificant.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing

    Richard A. Spreng (Assistant Professor of Marketing)

  2. Indiana University, Bloomington

    Richard W. Olshavsky (Professor of Marketing)

Authors
  1. Richard A. Spreng
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  2. Richard W. Olshavsky
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Additional information

He received his Ph.D. from Indiana University. His research interests include consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction, service quality, and issues involving consumer knowledge. His work has appeared in the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior.

He received his Ph.D. from Carnegie-Mellon University. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing, and several other journals. He is currently a member of the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Consumer Psychology and served for several years as a member of the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Consumer Research.

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Spreng, R.A., Olshavsky, R.W. A desires congruency model of consumer satisfaction. JAMS 21, 169–177 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070393213001

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