Western University DAN MOS Student Testimonial: Jennie Choi

We're excited to share that Jennie Choi, a 4th-year student in DAN MOS at the Faculty of Social Science, Western University, has accomplished something truly remarkable! Jennie completed an Honours Thesis in Consumer Behaviour under the guidance of Bonnie Simpson and Jamie Hyodo (also FSS, DAN MOS) focusing on tipping behaviour.
In short, Jennie found that while asking for tips in less traditional places, like a drive-thru, might increase tip amounts, it also has negative downstream implications that organizations should consider. Most tipping research has focused on how much and why people tip, but Jennie explored the psychological consequences of just asking for a tip. She discovered that such prompts in drive-thru and touchpad order cafes caused higher levels of reactance (negative arousal feelings). Even though people did tip, they reported lower evaluations of their experience, satisfaction, and intentions to return.
Jennie submitted her final thesis and has been accepted to present her research and findings at the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada conference in Montreal - quite an achievement for an undergraduate student!
🔍 Abstract: Tipping has traditionally been seen as a reward for good service, but consumers are increasingly asked to tip in all sorts of service transactions. Automatic prompts are raising tip amounts and expectations. Jennie's research is the first to examine how these prompts impact consumer perceptions and the potential downstream effects on firms. She found that prompting for a tip, especially in low-service situations, leads to greater reactance and negatively impacts consumer evaluations, satisfaction, and loyalty.
We invite all students, parents, and friends to join us in celebrating Jennie's success and to support her as she presents her important findings at the upcoming conference!