“I Can’t Get No
Satisfaction:” The Impact
of Personality and Emotion
on Postpurchase Processes
Todd A. Mooradian and James M. Olver
The College of William and Mary
ABSTRACT
Emerging theory and empirics in personality psychology have
related enduring traits with transient affective experiences or states.
The research reported in this article integrates these findings with
recent consumer research models linking consumption-based
emotions with consumer satisfaction and postpurchase behaviors
(including complaints, recommendations, and repeat purchase
intentions). Our results support a model relating broad, fundamental
personality traits to specific consumer behaviors via mediating
affective experiences. These findings may help identify consumer
segments inclined toward satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and
consequently, toward loyalty, word of mouth, and complaining.
Further, they suggest a general approach for relating broad traits to
specific behaviors by incorporating mediating processes. ©1997 John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
For various reasons, some customers don’t ever stay loyal to one com-
pany, no matter what value they receive. The challenge is to avoid as
many of these people as possible in favor of customers whose loyalty
can be developed. (Reichfield, 1993)
In nongrowth markets, competition centers around the (more or less)
dissatisfied customers. (Fornell & Wernfelt, 1987)
Psychology & Marketing Vol. 14(4):379 – 393 (July 1997)
© 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CCC 0742-6046/97/040379-15
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