How expectancy violations facilitate learning to cope with pain – An experimental approach

Background: Expectations of painful sensations constitute a core feature of chronic pain. An important clinical question is whether such expectations are revised when disconfirming experiences are made (e.g., less pain than expected). The present study examined how people adjust their pain expectations when the experience of decreasing pain is expected vs. unexpected. Methods: In a novel experimental paradigm, people who frequently experience pain (N=73) were provided with painful thermal stimulations. Unbeknownst to participants, the temperature applied was decreased from trial to trial. Based on the experimental instructions provided, this experience of decreasing pain was expected in one condition (expectation-confirmation), whereas it was unexpected in another (expectation-disconfirmation). Results: Expectation violations were higher in the expectation-disconfirmation condition than in the expectation-confirmation condition, F(1, 69) = 6.339, p = .014, ηp² = .084. Participants from the expectation-confirmation condition showed a greater adjustment of their pain expectations than the expectation-disconfirmation condition, F(1.666, 114.929) = 7.486, p = .002, ηp² = .098. Across groups, expectation adjustment was related to increases in pain tolerance (r = .342, p = .004) and the ability to cope with pain (r = .234, p = .045) at a one-week follow-up. Conclusions: Participants were more likely to adjust their pain expectations when the experience of decreasing pain was expected. Though participants who experienced large discrepancies between expected and experienced pain were hesitant to adjust their pain expectations immediately, experiencing expectation violations increased their ability to cope with pain one week later, suggesting some beneficial longer-term effects of expectation violations.

The co-evolution of remote work and expectations in a COVID-19 world utilizing an expectation disconfirmation theory lens

Purpose As researchers are being called to examine the evolving technology research issues for COVID-19 and other pandemics, remote work has been accelerated and represents the future of work. Although it is known that one of the top forces shaping the future of work is changing employee expectations, the knowledge of remote work during a pandemic remains scant. Thus, this paper aims to determine the impact of remote worker’s expectations on their level of satisfaction and intention to continue to work remotely. Design/methodology/approach Using one of the prominent theories on expectations, Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT), the authors conduct an online survey of 146 individuals who are currently working remotely. Findings By applying EDT, the findings demonstrate that an individual’s expectations regarding remote work impact their level of satisfaction with remote work and intention to continue to work remotely. Incorporating extant research, the findings extend the research stream to indicate that employees’ expectations about remote work significantly impact both their level of satisfaction and level of productivity. Originality/value The discussion elucidates the significance of understanding employee expectations regarding remote work in the evolving new normal. The findings from the study demonstrate the importance of an individual’s expectations regarding remote work on their level of satisfaction with remote work and intention to continue to work remotely. Thus, this study fills a gap in the literature by applying EDT to the remote work context.

“I Expected More From You”: The Effect of Expectation-Disconfirmation on Employees’ Satisfaction With Supervisory Support

Are employees less satisfied with supervisor support when their expectations are disconfirmed? In this study, we examine this question for both predictive expectations (what will happen) and normative expectations (what should happen). Results from two preregistered experiments suggest that expectation-disconfirmation does not affect satisfaction with supervisor support. Instead, we find that expectation-disconfirmation as perceived by participants affects satisfaction with supervisor support. We conclude that even though supervisor support seems to be the most important predictor of satisfaction, perceived disconfirmation of expectations also influences employees’ satisfaction with supervisor support.

Understanding online review behaviors of patients in online health communities: an expectation-disconfirmation perspective

PurposeAlthough online health communities (OHCs) and online patient reviews can help to eliminate health information asymmetry and improve patients' health management, how patients write online reviews within OHCs is poorly understood. Thus, it is very necessary to determine the factors influencing patients' online review behavior in OHCs, including the emotional response and reviewing effort.Design/methodology/approachBased on expectation-disconfirmation theory, this study proposes a theoretical model to analyze the effects of service quality perception (i.e. outcome quality and process quality perceptions) and disconfirmation (i.e. outcome quality and process quality disconfirmations) on patients' emotional response and reviewing effort. The authors test the research model by using empirical data collected from a popular Chinese OHC and applying ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and zero-truncated negative binomial (ZTNB) regression models.FindingsBoth service quality perception and disconfirmation have a positive effect on patients' positive emotional intensity in textual reviews, and disease severity enhances these relationships of process quality. Moreover, there is an asymmetric U-shaped relationship among service quality perception, disconfirmation and reviewing effort. Patients who perceive low service quality have higher reviewing effort, while service quality disconfirmation has the opposite relationship. Specifically, patients' effort in writing textual reviews is lowest when perceived outcome quality is 3.5 (on a five-point scale), perceived process quality is 4 or outcome quality and process quality disconfirmations are −1.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine patients' online review behavior and its motivations and contributes to the literature on online reviews and service quality. In addition, the findings of this study have important management implications for service providers and OHC managers.

The Mediated Effect of Social Presence on Social Commerce WOM Behavior

Based on expectation disconfirmation theory, this study analyzes how attitudes (satisfaction and loyalty) influence interaction intention (sWOM) and, consequently, active and passive sWOM behavior. It does so by assessing the mediating role of social presence on sWOM intention and behavior. The empirical results provide several contributions. First, knowing how to increase active sWOM contributes to bridging the gap regarding how to enhance interactions between users. Second, fostering active sWOM on social commerce websites will provide companies with more positive user-generated content, since this active sWOM comes from satisfied and loyal users, and it is assumed that they will rate the product positively and report a good experience. Third, companies can benefit more from users if users interact with other users by sharing their experiences. This study sheds light on how social presence can mediate the relationship between intention and behavior, particularly when it comes to increasing active participation and brand promotion.

SERVICE QUALITY MEASUREMENT IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Traditionally measurements of service quality have followed the expectation-disconfirmation approach. Further, previous studies have shown that negative disconfirmation is more influential than positive disconfirmation. In this research, we hypothesized information systems(IS) service quality scales based on the dimensionality of the expectation-disconfirmation (ED) and desire-disconfirmation (DD) approach. Using the SERVQUAL+ instrument and data collected from 321 IS users, we developed ED and DD based IS service quality scales using contemporary methods, such as LISREL-based CFA. We have proposed and empirically validated the following two new IS service quality constructs: Service Adequacy (difference of expected service and perceived service) and Service Superiority (difference of desired service and perceived service). Our results indicate that both measures have shown better predictive power than earlier scales like SERVQUAL+ and the IS ZOT scales. We have outlined several implications of ED and DD scales to practice and research.

Service Quality Measurement in Information Systems

Traditionally measurements of service quality have followed the expectation-disconfirmation approach. Further, previous studies have shown that negative disconfirmation is more influential than positive disconfirmation. In this research, we hypothesized information systems(IS) service quality scales based on the dimensionality of the expectation-disconfirmation (ED) and desire-disconfirmation (DD) approach. Using the SERVQUAL+ instrument and data collected from 321 IS users, we developed ED and DD based IS service quality scales using contemporary methods, such as LISREL-based CFA. We have proposed and empirically validated the following two new IS service quality constructs: Service Adequacy (difference of expected service and perceived service) and Service Superiority (difference of desired service and perceived service). Our results indicate that both measures have shown better predictive power than earlier scales like SERVQUAL+ and the IS ZOT scales. We have outlined several implications of ED and DD scales to practice and research.

Meaning and willingness to pay: the role of expectation disconfirmation

PurposePursuit of meaning is at the heart of much of organizational life. It has implications for how different organizational stakeholders associate value to various organizational initiatives. Research on meaning has generally shown that effort increases meaning and favorable valuation of and willingness to pay for economic activities by organizational stakeholders. The authors build on and advance this research by offering theory and experimental evidence showing that effort, particularly at high levels, results in enhanced meaning and favorable valuation when effort does not threaten the focal stakeholders' resources through expectation disconfirmation.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental studies are designed and conducted in this research. In one study, the authors replicate prior research findings that establish labor generally increases meaning and favorable valuation. In the two subsequent studies, the authors test the proposed hypothesis in this research and check for robustness of the empirical analysis.FindingsThe authors find that any internalized threat to the focal stakeholder's resources coupled with a high exertion of effort decreases, rather than increases, meaning and favorable valuation of and willingness to pay for economic activities.Originality/valueThe theory and empirical evidence in this research advance the understanding of how organizational stakeholders may associate effort-induced meaning with various economic activities in counter-intuitive ways. The findings also highlight the importance of recognizing and shaping the expectations of organizational stakeholders in influencing willingness to pay in organizational settings.

French reason-comment ‘how’ questions

This chapter discusses some semantic/pragmatic aspects of French questions starting with comment ‘how’ and having an interpretation of reason (similar to reason ‘why’), and investigates if and how these properties are reflected by prosody. With reason-comment questions, the speaker doubts that the proposition characterizing the event described in the question can be true, and asks the hearer to help her to revise her expectations about it, by giving her some reasons that make the existence of the event conceivable. The speaker’s doubt is often accompanied by additional emotions, such as indignation, exasperation, etc. In order to analysze the prosody of these questions, we conducted a production experiment comparing the reason and the manner reading of comment-questions. Results confirmed that prosodic cues allow us to distinguish between the two interpretations. In utterances with a reason reading, the expression of questioning force is important, even where accompanied by expressions of expectation disconfirmation and surprise.