The effects of curiosity-evoking events on activity enjoyment.
Whereas prior literature has studied the positive effects of curiosity-evoking events that are integral to focal activities, we explore whether and how a curiosity-evoking event that is incidental to a focal activity induces negative outcomes for enjoyment. Four experiments and 1 field study demonstrate that curiosity about an event that is incidental to an activity in which individuals are engaged, significantly affects enjoyment of a concurrent activity. The reason why is that curiosity diverts attention away from the concurrent activity and focuses attention on the curiosity-evoking event. Thus, curiosity regarding an incidental eventdecreasesenjoyment of a positive focal activity butincreasesenjoyment of a negative focal activity.
Department of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
Elif
E
Isikman
Department of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
Deborah J
DJ
MacInnis
Department of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
Gülden
G
Ülkümen
Department of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.
Lisa A
LA
Cavanaugh
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057181:Pleasure / Q000502:physiology*