When waiting makes sense: How consumer anticipation affects later evaluations

Abstract

This paper addresses a gap in knowledge about consumer anticipation. We build on the negative discount model (Loewenstein, 1987) which notes that utility may be gained through deferred consumption; the utility of looking forward to, and savoring forthcoming pleasant consumption adds to the total utility of the consumption episode. However, little is known about (1) the mental mechanisms involved in consumer anticipation, and their intensity, that underlie this effect, and (2) how evaluation of the object of anticipated consumption evolves over time, from the beginning of the anticipation period to post-consumption. Specifically, we ground our research in theories of attitude formation and change to investigate the circumstances in which evoking intense anticipation produces long-lasting and robust positive attitude.

From the literature, we develop hypotheses relating information provision and anticipation intensity to subsequent attitude change between pre- and post-consumption stages. We test hypotheses in five studies, in two cultural contexts involving pleasant anticipated consumption. We use an experimental approach manipulating real consumption experiences, recording attitudes pre- and post-consumption. We find that an “anticipation effect” on subsequent evaluations is explained by intensity of anticipation, which is driven by provision of information. We also note that a long-term desirable effect of anticipation is observed, irrespective of whether the core consumption experience was positive or negative.