The Nature of Satisfaction: An Updated Examination and Analysis

The preponderance of recent satisfaction research focuses on things that cause satisfaction. Measurement articles addressing the precise conceptualization of consumer satisfaction are more than a decade old. In that time, many advances ill analytical approaches used to delineate and operationalize latent constructs have been made. The research presented here uses advances in both satisfaction research and measurement theory to provide a more precise view of consumer satisfaction and dissatisfaction than has been previously offered. While some researchers have used indicators that, arguably, lack face validity due to contamination of other closely related constructs, the conceptualization offered here maximizes face validity and is more true to the nature of reflective indicators of latent constructs. Additionally, the possibility of distinct satisfaction and dissatisfaction constructs is investigated. (C) 1998 Elsevier-Science Inc