Affective dimensions of the waiting experience

The present study examines affective reactions to waiting experiences relating to public transport and their impact on overall satisfaction with the service. Seventy-five participants read descriptions of two positive, two negative, and two neutral waiting scenarios. They were asked to rate how they would feel if the incidents had happened to them. The ratings were obtained on 12 bipolar affect adjective scales (SCAS) and three overall satisfaction scales. The results showed that the waiting scenarios varied in both unpleasantness–pleasantness (valence) and deactivation–activation (activation). Overall satisfaction with public transport corresponded with the nature of the waiting time scenario (positive, negative, neutral). In general, in-process waiting times elicited less negative emotions than pre-process waiting times.