Subject: Information System Science
Title: The categorical Cliff : Influence of non-realistic labels on users perceived experience
Abstract:
This thesis investigates the psychological impact of discrete categorical labels on user satisfaction within specialized information systems and non-transactional digital platforms. Grounded in Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT), the research examines how the cognitive gap between pre-consumption expectations, established by operator-assigned quality labels, and perceived experiential reality influences consumer behaviour.
Using a quantitative methodology, the study analyses user-generated content and evaluation data from the bouldering database Bleau.info, applying multiple linear regression and conditional mean calculations to a filtered dataset of 567 climbing routes.
The empirical results propose challenges traditional EDT models within the Information Systems literature, which typically associate inflated expectations with eroded trust and a negative “disappointment effect”. Instead, the findings propose an inversion of this theory in effortbased contexts, revealing that the initial over-evaluation, or overgrading, of a stimulus can enhances user satisfaction. Earning a higher categorical label while expending less anticipated efforts acts as a psychological reward that triggers positive disconfirmation, while specific stylistic attributes function as independent drivers that amplify perceived value. Finally, this research provides notable theoretical expansions to EDT regarding experiential goods and offers actionable insights for platform design, suggesting that digital interfaces can strategically uses inflated categorical labels to maximize consumer satisfaction and long-term adoption.
Keywords: Information Systems, Expectation-Disconfirmation, Labels, Users Satisfaction, Effort Based, Platforms, Rating.