Marketing Papers
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
2-2010
Publication Source
Journal of Consumer Research
Volume
36
Issue
5
Start Page
792
Last Page
805
DOI
10.1086/605592
Abstract
Consumer reactions to a surprising event are generally stronger than those to an identical but unexpected event. But the experience of surprise differs across cultures. In this article, we examine differences between East Asian and Western emotional reactions to unexpected incentives. When given an unexpected gift, East Asians report less surprise and less pleasure than Westerners. East Asians’ dampened pleasure is explained by their motivation to maintain balance and emotional control, which leads to a reappraisal of perceived likelihood. However, if the unexpected gift is attributed to good luck, which is a desirable form of the unexpected, East Asians experience even greater pleasure than Westerners.
Copyright/Permission Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Consumer Research following peer review. The version of record [Valenzuela, A., Mellers, B., & Strebel, J. Pleasurable Surprises: A Cross-Cultural Study of Consumer Responses to Unexpected Incentives. Journal of Consumer Research 36, no. 5: 792-805] is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/605592.
Keywords
affect/emotions/mood, cross-cultural research, motivation/desires/goals, cognitive processes, experimental design and analysis (ANOVA)
Recommended Citation
Valenzuela, A., Mellers, B., & Strebel, J. (2010). Pleasurable Surprises: A Cross-Cultural Study of Consumer Responses to Unexpected Incentives. Journal of Consumer Research, 36 (5), 792-805. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/605592
Included in
Cognition and Perception Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Comparative Psychology Commons, Marketing Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Other Economics Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Date Posted: 15 June 2018
This document has been peer reviewed.