Did I choose the right university? How post-purchase information affects cognitive dissonance, satisfaction and perceived service quality

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of post-purchase reinforcement and choice-inconsistent information, the latter of which arouses cognitive dissonance, on consumer satisfaction and perceived service quality (SQ). A field experiment was conducted in which university students are provided with university rankings information that is either consistent with their choice of university (choice-reinforcing) or inconsistent with their choice. It is found that provision of choice-inconsistent information affects neither satisfaction nor perceived SQ. In contrast, while not affecting perceived SQ, provision of post-purchase reinforcement does enhance satisfaction. The paper demonstrates this to result from a reduction in psychological discomfort regarding the choice made, which is the emotional aspect of cognitive dissonance. The paper also finds that both information conditions result in an increase in Word-of-Mouth behaviour compared to a control group. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.