The Influence of Introversion–Extroversion on Service Quality Dimensions: A Trait Activation Theory Study

Abstract

Personality characteristics influence individuals’ perceptions, evaluations, and behaviors toward external stimuli. This study aims to investigate the influence of the extroversion–introversion personality characteristics of hospitality customers on the amount of value they attached to the different service quality dimensions. The influence of customers’ personality characteristics on the amount of value attached to the different service quality dimensions has not been previously studied by researchers. The data were obtained from 508 Turkish tourists staying at five-star hotels in holiday resorts located on the Aegean coast of Turkey. Partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. At the measurement model stage, the scales were subjected to reliability and validity tests. It was seen that all the variables in the measurement model met the reliability and validity criteria. The structural model and the hypotheses were tested to examine the relationships between the latent variables. The results show that while introvert customers tend to attach more value to the tangibles dimension of service quality, extrovert customers tend to attach more value to the empathy dimension of service quality.