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The affective consequences of expected and unexpected outcomes
James A Shepperd1, James K Mcnulty
1Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-2250, USA. shepperd@ufl.edu
Psychological Science
|March 15, 2002
Summary
People feel better about unexpected good outcomes and worse about unexpected bad outcomes. Decision affect theory (DAT) explains how expectations influence emotional responses to results.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Decision Science
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Understanding emotional responses to unexpected outcomes is crucial in decision-making.
- Existing theories, such as Decision Affect Theory (DAT) and consistency theories, offer different explanations for these responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the predictions of DAT and consistency theories regarding emotional reactions to unexpected versus expected outcomes.
- To determine which theoretical framework better explains how people feel about surprising results.
Main Methods:
- Three empirical studies were conducted to investigate participants' emotional responses.
- The studies likely involved presenting participants with various outcomes (positive/negative, expected/unexpected) and measuring their affective reactions.
Main Results:
- The results consistently supported Decision Affect Theory (DAT).
- Unexpected positive outcomes elicited greater elation than expected positive outcomes.
- Unexpected negative outcomes elicited greater displeasure than expected negative outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Decision Affect Theory (DAT) provides a more accurate account of how people experience emotions related to unexpected outcomes.
- Emotional intensity is amplified when outcomes disconfirm expectations, aligning with DAT's predictions.