The Effect of Suspense on Enjoyment Following a Desirable Outcome: The Mediating Role of Relief

Abstract

Although endemic to many forms of media entertainment, suspense represents a paradox for enjoyment because it is experienced as an aversive state. Three studies are presented across two media contexts demonstrating how outcomes to suspenseful episodes affect viewers' relief. Study 1 shows that relief is elicited only when a film's outcome is unambiguously favorable and under such conditions is positively related to enjoyment. No such relationship was found given an ambiguous outcome. Study 1 provides evidence that relief is distinct from other affective responses (i.e., positive and negative affect, surprise) that may be present following suspense. Studies 2 and 3 use competitive contests as a context and provide evidence that relief mediates the effect of suspense on enjoyment. Study 2 shows that the previously positive effects of suspense and expectation disconfirmation on enjoyment are obviated in the presence of relief. Study 3 varies suspense in real time across 14 simulated races. Also manipulated are affective dispositions toward the racers and race outcome. The results reveal that relief mediates the effect of suspense on enjoyment, but only when the outcome favors a preferred competitor. The research enhances our understanding of the intertwining of cognition and affect in the enjoyment of suspense.

Notes

^aThe certainty of win variable was collected immediately after the Expectation manipulation and prior to reading the Game Pattern description; scale range was 0 (no likelihood of winning) to 100 (certain likelihood of winning).

*p < .05

**p < .01.

^aML represents the maximum likelihood estimate for the unconstrained path. The value given in parenthesis is the standard error term.

^bC.R. represents the critical ratio value for statistical significance of the ML estimate. Values of 1.96 are significant at p < .05, values of 2.58 are significant at p < .01, and values greater than 3.30 are significant at p < .001.

^cΔχ² represents the change in chi square associated with constraining the path in that of the Preferred Competitor condition with that of the Archrival condition.

*p < .05

**p < .01

***p < .001.

1. Enjoyment was also positively correlated with positive affect (r = .53, p = .003) in the unambiguous condition, but not significantly correlated with any other variable in either of the outcome conditions (all ps > .11).