TY - JOUR PY - 2007// TI - Thrilling News: Factors Generating Suspense During News Exposure JO - Media psychology A1 - Knobloch-Westerwick, Silvia A1 - Keplinger, Caterina SP - 193 EP - 210 VL - 9 IS - 1 N2 - Abstract Hypotheses on emotional reactions to news were derived from Zillmann's (1996) model of affective responses to fictional drama. Participants in a Web-based field experiment in Germany read 2 news stories that were manipulated in a 2 ? 2 design to vary affective disposition toward main characters, as well as the perceived likelihood of a negative outcome. Measures of suspense, reading appreciation, and lingering interest for continued coverage were collected. As hypothesized, a positive disposition toward protagonists and a perceived high likelihood of a negative outcome increased suspense while attending to news. A positive disposition also led to higher reading appreciation and more lingering interest. Abstract Hypotheses on emotional reactions to news were derived from Zillmann's (1996) model of affective responses to fictional drama. Participants in a Web-based field experiment in Germany read 2 news stories that were manipulated in a 2 ? 2 design to vary affective disposition toward main characters, as well as the perceived likelihood of a negative outcome. Measures of suspense, reading appreciation, and lingering interest for continued coverage were collected. As hypothesized, a positive disposition toward protagonists and a perceived high likelihood of a negative outcome increased suspense while attending to news. A positive disposition also led to higher reading appreciation and more lingering interest.

LA - SN - 1521-3269 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15213260709336809 ID - ref1 ER -