| Abstract: | A film clip depicting a young couple in a dysphoric encounter was seen following one of four film segments that were selected and pretested to effect a factorial variation in (a) hedonic tone (positive, negative) and (b) excitatory potential (low, high). Reactions to the subsequent film were assessed via ratings to test predictions from excitation-transfer theory and to determine sequential effects in hedonically valued experiences. In a first experiment, in which the subsequent film was viewed immediately after the antecedent film, a nearly significant distraction effect of excitation occurred, that is, affective responses to the subsequent film were less intense following high-excitation films than following low-excitation films. In a second experiment, in which the procedure employed in the interval between films was changed to foster close attention to the subsequent film, an excitation-transfer effect was observed, with the dysphoric encounter being perceived as sadder after high-excitation films than after low-excitation films. In both experiments, hedonic-set effects were also observed. The role of cognitive adjustment in excitation transfer was discussed. |
