The role of emotions in translating perceptions of (in)justice into postcomplaint behavioral responses

There is widespread recognition in the literature that perceived (in)justice plays an important role in driving postcomplaint behavioral responses to service recovery experiences. However, this literature has evolved with little cross-reference to emotion research. This is problematic because much of psychology research has argued that emotion is the central mechanism through which a sense of (in)justice is translated into subsequent behavior. The current study seeks to address this issue by explicitly considering the role of perceived (in)justice in the elicitation of consumer emotions following service recovery encounters. Specifically, using survey data, the role of emotions in translating perceptions of (in)justice into subsequent postcomplaint behaviors (e.g., repurchase intention, negative word-of-mouth communication and third-party action) is investigated. Results provide empirical evidence for the contention that emotions act as mediators of the relationship between perceived justice and postcomplaint behaviors. These findings have significant implications for the theory and practice of service recovery management.