The effect of religiosity on customer's response to service failure: Belief‐in‐fate, forgiveness, and emotional wellbeing

• Published date: 01 March 2022
• Author: Samer Sarofim,Ahmed Tolba,Morris Kalliny
• Date: 01 March 2022
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12433

SPECIAL ISSUE

The effect of religiosity on customer's response

to service failure: Belief-in-fate, forgiveness,

and emotional wellbeing

Samer Sarofim

1

| Ahmed Tolba

2

| Morris Kalliny

3

1

Department of Marketing and Logistics,

Craig School of Business, California State

University, Fresno, California, USA

2

School of Business, The American

University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

3

Rohrer College of Business, Rowan

University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA

Correspondence

Samer Sarofim, Department of Marketing

and Logistics, Craig School of Business,

California State University, Fresno,

PB-546 5245, N. Backer Ave, M/S PB

7, Fresno, CA 93740, USA.

Email: sarofim@csufresno.edu

Abstract

This research investigates the effect of religiosity on

customers' response to service failure. In three

studies, the authors provided evidence to the mediat-

ing role of belief-in-fate in explaining the effects of

religiosity on customers' responses after service

failure. The overall model rel igiosity !belief-in-fate

!forgiveness !emotional well-being is investigated

in non-social (study 1) and social (study 2) contexts of

service failure. Religiosity corresponded with higher

levels of belief-in-fate, leading to lower levels of cus-

tomers' dissatisfaction (study 1) and higher levels of

customer's forgiveness (study 2), both leading to a pos-

itive significant effect on consumers' emotional well-

being. To test the robustness of the model, religiosity

wasbothmeasured(studies1and2)andmanipulated

(study 3). Additionally, the moderating effect of inter-

personal justice was ruled out (study 3). The effect of

religiosity on belief-in-fate and forgiveness was not

moderated by interpersonal justice. Theoretical and

practical implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS

belief-in-fate, consumer emotional well-being, customers'

forgiveness, religiosity, service failure

Received: 15 November 2020 Revised: 30 August 2021 Accepted: 25 October 2021

DOI: 10.1111/joca.12433

© 2021 American Council on Consumer Interests.

J Consum Aff. 2022;56:465–486. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/joca 465

1|INTRODUCTION

Religion is an integral element of individuals' belief and value systems and significantly affects

attitudes, motivations, and behaviors (Cohen & Hill, 2007; Minton, 2016). In a 2017 Gallup

study, 87% of Americans answered with a “Yes”when asked “Do you believe in God?”

(Hrynowski, 2019) and approximately 80% of the world possess a religious identity (Pew

Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project, 2017). This prominent force of religion con-

tinues to propagate research that aims at understanding the impact of religion on consumers'

marketplace interactions. For instance, previous research showed the influence of religion on

consumers' attitudes towards retailers (McDaniel and Burnett, 1991), advertisement effects and

credibility (Sarofim & Cabano, 2018; Kalliny et al., 2020), relationship with brands (Rindfleisch

et al., 2005), sustainable behaviors (Minton et al., 2015), and consumer financial decision-

making (Sarofim et al., 2020).

Many companies and organizations leverage the importance of religion in consumers' lives.

For example, Timberland's CEO, Jeff Swartz attributed his stand on workers' rights to a verse in

the Hebrew Bible, Alaska Air includes a notecard with a verse from the Old Testament, and

Forever 21 designs their shopping bags to include a verse from the New Testament (Bhasin &

Hicken, 2012).

The impact of religion on an individual's behavior depends on the individual's level of religi-

osity/commitment to his/her religious beliefs. Religiosity refers to the degree of adherence to

religious beliefs and practices such that the religious values are reflected in the individual's atti-

tudes and behaviors (Johnson et al., 2001; Worthington et al., 2003). For individuals with a high

degree of religiosity, faith provides guidance for daily and life decisions and determines behav-

iors (Stark & Glock, 1968). In this research, we investigate whether the forgiveness stemming

from religiosity affects consumers' reactions in the marketplace. Specifically, we study whether

and how religiosity affects consumer forgiveness after a service transgression.

In 2016, U.S. companies lost $1.6 trillion due to customer switching because of a dissatisfac-

tory level of service (Accenture, 2016). Mitigating the negative impact of a service failure is a

demanding task. To overcome a negative experience, the same service provider is required to

offer, approximately, 12 positive experiences, indicating the significant consequences of service

failure (Bateson, 1995; Smith & Bolton, 1998; Zemke & Dick, 1989). This research posits that

religiosity (both inherently and when religious thoughts are primed) can lead consumers to

exhibit more forgiveness after facing a service transgression.

Service transgressions present consumers with a stressful situation (Khamitov et al., 2020)

that could negatively and severely affect one's emotional well-being (Grégoire et al., 2009) and

require the utilization of coping mechanisms. While religion does not change the outcome of

negative situations, individuals utilize their religion in approaching challenges and solving

problems (Krägeloh et al., 2012). This research investigates whether religiosity mitigates the

negative effects of service failure and positively affects consumers' emotional well-being. In

addition, if so, what are the potential explanatory mechanisms?

Hence, this research contributes to the literature in multiple ways. First, we address the

enduring gap of quantitatively studying the impact of religion on consumer behavior (Mathras

et al., 2016). With religion being one of the most impactful social forces in determining and

influencing human behavior (LaBarbera, 1987), this research responds, broadly, to several calls

to further study the impact of religion on consumers' attitudes and behaviors (Johnson

et al., 2017; Mathras et al., 2016; Minton and Kahle, 2017, Sarofim et al., 2020). Specifically, we

add to the ongoing attempt to investigate the relationship between religion and forgiveness and

466 SAROFIM ET AL.