Multicultural Service Settings

Data Set Description

This study uses a cross-sectional survey dataset collected from consumers in two countries, the United States and Turkey. The data were gathered through an online consumer panel (Prodege) using a Critical Incident Technique (CIT) approach, where respondents recalled and described a real multicultural service encounter involving immigrant customers.

After applying strict data quality screening, including attention checks, completeness, and quality of incident descriptions, the final dataset includes 672 usable responses (375 U.S., 297 Turkey).

Key Variables

The dataset includes multi-item, validated scale measures for:

Xenophobia (predictor)
Prejudice toward immigrants’ country of origin (mediator)
Emotional responses during the encounter
Positive emotions
Negative emotions
Service outcomes
Shopping stress
Word-of-mouth intentions
Cultural context (country: U.S. vs Turkey as proxy for individualism vs collectivism)

All measures were adapted from established scales and assessed using Likert-type items.

Data Collection Design
Method: Survey with embedded critical incident recall
Design: Cross-sectional
Context: Multicultural service encounters (customer-to-customer interactions)
Procedure:
Xenophobia measured first
Respondents recalled a specific intercultural service encounter
Post-incident measures captured emotions, prejudice, and outcomes

Data Quality and Processing
Removal of:
Failed attention checks
Incomplete responses
Translation handled via back-translation procedure for cross-language equivalence