Do Acknowledgement through Repetition and Non-referral Responses Build Satisfaction? Evidence from a Survey Experiment in China

How governments respond to citizen complaints on digital platforms influences public satisfaction, yet the effects of specific response styles remain underexplored. This study investigates whether two distinct response styles—acknowledgment of citizens’ complaints through repetition and non-referral resolutions—improve citizen satisfaction with government. Based on procedural justice theory, we argue that both styles promote positive citizen evaluations. A preregistered 2 × 2 survey experiment with 1,330 Chinese citizens tested these hypotheses using a vignette involving a common complaint scenario. Results indicate that both acknowledgment through repetition and non-referral significantly boost citizen satisfaction, although their interaction is not significant. These findings contribute to the field of public administration by highlighting how government responses enhance citizen satisfaction in digital settings.