Perceived host-guest sociability similarity and participants’ satisfaction: Perspectives of airbnb guests and hosts

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between perceived host-guest sociability similarity (PHSS) and participants' satisfaction in the context of home-sharing, taking into account of the level of participants' sociability, participants' roles and types of accommodation. A survey was designed to collect data and hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Results indicate that PHSS contributes significantly to guest and host satisfaction, regardless of types of accommodation. Moreover, guest sociability moderates positively the relationship between PHSS and guest satisfaction for the guests who choose rooms, but not for the ones staying in “entire home”. However, for the hosts, the moderating effect of host sociability on the relationship between PHSS and host satisfaction is significant both in room-sharing service and “entire home”-sharing service. The findings extend the understanding of participants' satisfaction influenced by their sociability in home-sharing context, providing practical implications for home-sharing platforms and hosts to increase host and/or guest satisfaction.