From Measurement Scale to Sentiment Scale: Examining the Effect of Sensory Experiences on Online Review Rating Behavior

Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Fuad Mehraliyev, Ph.D Candidate, has research interests in information technology; social media.

Andrei Kirilenko, Ph.D, has research interests in social networks and mass media data mining; climate changes impacts on people and environment.

Yougjoon Choi, Ph.D, has research interests in festivals and event tourism; information technology, social media marketing.

Abstract (150 Words)

The importance of sensory dimension of customer experiences has been supported in tourism literature; albeit, there are still several important theoretical and methodological gaps to be bridged. This study showcased a methodological procedure of developing a sentiment scale of sensory experiences. By using big online review data in a restaurant context, this study examined the impact of five sensory experiences (sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch) on rating behavior. Results illustrated the relative importance of different sensory experiences. Based on an experiential paradigm, taste experiences were considered the most important component of restaurant experiences. A negativity bias was also observed. This study found a consistent pattern across five sensory experiences that negative attribute had a stronger effect on customer rating than its positive counterpart. The findings are expected to extend the discussions on ‘otherscapes’ and provide theoretical and methodological grounds to develop sentiment scales to understanding tourist experience and behavior.

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From Measurement Scale to Sentiment Scale: Examining the Effect of Sensory Experiences on Online Review Rating Behavior

The importance of sensory dimension of customer experiences has been supported in tourism literature; albeit, there are still several important theoretical and methodological gaps to be bridged. This study showcased a methodological procedure of developing a sentiment scale of sensory experiences. By using big online review data in a restaurant context, this study examined the impact of five sensory experiences (sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch) on rating behavior. Results illustrated the relative importance of different sensory experiences. Based on an experiential paradigm, taste experiences were considered the most important component of restaurant experiences. A negativity bias was also observed. This study found a consistent pattern across five sensory experiences that negative attribute had a stronger effect on customer rating than its positive counterpart. The findings are expected to extend the discussions on ‘otherscapes’ and provide theoretical and methodological grounds to develop sentiment scales to understanding tourist experience and behavior.