Understanding emotional reactions to a suspenseful movie: The interaction between forewarning and preferred coping style

Abstract

An experiment is reported that tested the notion that the effects of forewarning to a suspenseful film are dependent upon one's preferred way of coping with stressful events. Preferred coping style was assessed with the MBSS (Miller Behavioral Style Scale) that classifies individuals as either high monitors/low blunters or high blunters/low monitors. Research participants of each type were exposed to a suspenseful film clip from the movie When A Stranger Calls, after receiving either a low or high amount of information about the events in the film. The hypothesis was that high monitors/low blunters would prefer the high forewarning to the low forewarning and would react more negatively in the low forewarning condition. High blunters/low monitors were expected to prefer the low forewarning to the high forewarning and were expected to react more negatively in the high forewarning condition. Emotional responses were measured with self‐reports, skin conductivity, and thought listings. Support for the hypothesis emerged on all three measures. The individual difference variable is discussed in terms of behavioral dispositions located in the activation‐arousal system. Practical implications, limitations and future research are discussed.