Impact of Social Support Resources on Post- Purchase Dissonance: Evidence from Jordan

Abstract

This article aims to address the paucity of research into the impact of social support resources – family, friends and significant others – on post-purchase emotional and cognitive dissonance amongst young consumers. For the purposes of the study, a quantitative survey was undertaken of 564 randomly selected undergraduate purchasers of smart phones at six Jordanian universities. Data analysis revealed that social support had a statistically significant impact on emotional dissonance for males in the group. It had no bearing on emotional dissonance amongst females in the survey. However, the findings indicate an influence upon levels of cognitive dissonance experienced by both males and females. Consumer cognitive dissonance appears to increase in direct proportion to levels of familial influence surrounding the purchase. This study is one of only a limited number offering empirical evidence of the effects of social support systems on post-purchase dissonance.