Customer-perceived incivility after service failure: The roles of pathological narcissism and attribution style

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying customer disrespectful behavior by focusing on individual psychological factors. While previous research mainly examined the stress and job-related responses of service workers facing customer disrespect, this study empirically investigates how such behavior occurs, emphasizing the customer's psychological traits and cognitive and emotional reactions. Specifically, we analyzed how narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability—sub-dimensions of pathological narcissism—influence the customer's attribution style. We also examined the causal pathway whereby this attribution tendency leads to customer disrespect, mediated by contempt and reactive aggression in service failure scenarios. Using a scenario-based experimental design, we tested five hypotheses through a structural equation model (SEM). The results showed that both sub-factors of pathological narcissism significantly affected attribution style, which in turn influenced contempt and contributed to a psychological pathway toward customer disrespect. Notably, contempt acted as a key emotional trigger that prompted aggressive responses beyond basic dissatisfaction. This study fills a theoretical gap by conceptualizing customer rude behavior as the outcome of an interplay among personality traits, cognitive processes, and emotional reactions—rather than a fleeting, impulsive act. Additionally, it offers practical insights for preventing customer rudeness and developing effective response strategies, potentially fostering a healthier and more productive service environment.