Unraveling consumer suspense: The role of hope, fear, and probability fluctuations

This empirical research focuses on suspense, which is proposed to be a formative construct comprised of the emotions of hope and fear. Two measurement studies that focus on developing a scale for suspense, as well as scales for its two emotional components of hope and fear, are first presented. Next, using a 2 (approach appraisal) × 2 (avoidance appraisal) × 2 (probability fluctuation) experiment, we first show that hope and fear are valid indicators of suspense. We also determine that hope is influenced by an approach appraisal of a potential event, whereas fear is influenced by an avoidance appraisal of a potential event. Further, we demonstrate that probability fluctuation positively affects outcome uncertainty, which in turn, positively affects the anticipatory emotions of hope and fear.