Trend Effects and Gender Differences in Retrospective Judgments of Consumption Emotions

Abstract

A field study performed at the end of multiday hospital stays investigated trend effects on retrospective global judgments of emotions. Subjects (43 women and 50 men) reported instances of their positive and negative emotions, retrospective global judgments of these emotions, and satisfaction with hospital services. Retrospective global judgments of positive and negative emotions were a positive function of the increase or decrease of the instances of emotions over time. Consistent with predictions based on the literature on gender differences in information processing, men's retrospective judgments of positive emotions were highly sensitive to trend effects, but no trend effect was found for negative emotions. In contrast, women demonstrated trend effects primarily in judgments of negative emotions. Trends in positive and negative emotions, however, did not significantly contribute to satisfaction judgments for men and women. Theoretical and managerial implications of the results are discussed.