Vol.:(0123456789) Journal of Marketing Analytics (2020) 8:69–84 https://doi.org/10.1057/s41270-020-00078-4 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Interaction of normative and predictive expectations in customer satisfaction and emotions Gavriel Meirovich 1  · Myunghee Mindy Jeon 1  · Linda Jane Coleman 2 Revised: 29 January 2020 / Published online: 27 May 2020 © Springer Nature Limited 2020 Abstract There is a dearth of systematic analysis of role of normative and predictive expectations in generating customer outcomes. The goal of the present empirical study is to establish how interaction of two types of expectations afects customer satisfac- tion and emotions in terms of their valence and arousal. Diferent combinations of normative and predictive expectations constitute diferent scenarios; hence, methodology of scenarios was used in measuring expectations for both services and products. The study demonstrated that normative and predictive expectations in conjunction, rather than separately, generated commensurate levels of customer satisfaction and emotions. Another fnding of the current study is the moderating efect of emotional valence on the relationship between emotional arousal and satisfaction. The valence sign changes the direction of the relationship between emotional arousal and satisfaction. Positive emotional valence strengthens the relationship between them; in contrast, when emotional valence is negative, arousal negatively impacts satisfaction. The implication is that intense positive emotions are associated with higher customer satisfaction while intense negative emotions are associated with lower satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications and venues for future research are discussed. Keywords Predictive expectations · Normative expectations · Emotional valence · Arousal Introduction The critical role of meeting and exceeding customer expec- tations is long established in the satisfaction and service quality literature. Still, researchers are far from a full under- standing of the mechanisms via which expectations afect outcomes such as customer satisfaction and emotions. One of less investigated aspects in the feld of expectations is the role of diferent classes of expectations. Among types of expectations discussed in the literature, the most widely recognized are normative (should) and predictive (will) expectations (Boulding et al. 1993; Brown et al. 1993; Licata et al. 2008; Parasuraman et al. 1985). Both types are viewed as standards, or reference points against which product/ service is evaluated. Customer’s judgment and satisfaction formation depends on whether a product’s performance exceeds, matches or falls short of expectations. However, there is a dearth of systematic analysis of distinction and interaction of two types in generating customer outcomes. Related issues in the discussed area are the drawbacks in measuring expectations, particularly of a normative type. This empirical study endeavors to address these gaps. The frst goal is to establish how interaction of normative and predictive expectations afects customer satisfaction. We suggest that customer satisfaction is not the result of separate impacts of normative and predictive expectations but rather of their combined efect. Furthermore, since there is mount- ing evidence that satisfaction involves cognitive as well as an afective component, we incorporate the subject of emotions in our investigation and analyze the impact of joint efect of two classes of expectations on customer emotions. This study is organized as follows: First, we conducted the theo- retical analysis of distinction and interaction between norma- tive and predictive expectations and formulate our hypoth- eses. Then we discuss defciencies of existing methods of gauging both types of expectations and present our method of measurement of expectations based on using scenarios. After presenting empirical results, we provide discussion of * Gavriel Meirovich gmeirovich@salemstate.edu 1 Management Department, Bertolon School of Business, Salem State University, 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA 01970, USA 2 Marketing and Decision Sciences Department, Bertolon School of Business, Salem State University, Salem, USA