“I should have won” - Deconstructing (Un)Fairness Perceptions in creative crowdsourcing contests
(R2024-122688)

AUTHORS

min shuai, uclouvain; Nadia Steils, HEC Liège

ABSTRACT

This research explores how counterfactual thoughts (CTs) impact fairness perceptions in crowdsourcing and participant-brand relationships. We conducted a 2x3 experiment with 423 participants, finding that winners and losers generate different CTs, affecting fairness perceptions, word of mouth, brand attachment, and willingness to participate again. When both generate upward other CTs, it triggers stronger CT strength and low fairness perceptions. The evaluator type moderates this negative relationship. Our findings contribute to consumer behavior literature by understanding fairness perception generation and offering managerial strategies to mitigate negative perceptions, emphasizing evaluator selection's role in enhancing fairness.