INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Does time dull the pain? The impact of temporal contiguity on review extremity in the hotel context

Yang, Yang; Wu, Laurie; Yang, Wan

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how the time at which a hotel review is posted influences the hotel rating. Utilizing data collected from a major travel review website, the authors estimate a hierarchical linear regression that reveals a positive relationship between temporal contiguity (i.e., the closeness between the time of hotel stay and the time when a review is posted) and review extremity, as measured by deviation from the hotel’s average rating. Moreover, two moderating factors in this relationship are highlighted: experience valence and reviewer expertise. More specifically, the positive effect of temporal contiguity on review extremity is significant only for negative experiences, and this effect decreases as reviewer expertise increases. The major empirical results are further confirmed through robustness checks that apply a different range of temporal contiguity, alternative rules defining positive/negative valence, different estimation methods, and correction for endogeneity bias, respectively. Lastly, theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Keywords

Temporal contiguity; Review extremity; Experience valence; Reviewer expertise; Construal level theory

Research topic

AI and Big Data, Digital Platform and Pricing

Research method

Econometrics, Big Data

Geographic area

US

AI Audio Overview

AI Infographic

Additional links for this paper

ResearchGate

Publisher Website

Web of Science

HOW TO CITE

Additional Reads

2026

Comparative Advantage

Theories and Models in Tourism and Hospitality Research

2026

Customer gratitude and employee work behaviors

TOURISM MANAGEMENT

2026

Together through thick and thin: How does the survival of neighboring restaurants matter?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT