ERIC Number: EJ1112914
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0163-853X
EISSN: N/A
The Effect of Spoilers on the Enjoyment of Short Stories
Levine, William H.; Betzner, Michelle; Autry, Kevin S.
Discourse Processes: A multidisciplinary journal, v53 n7 p513-531 2016
Recent research has provided evidence that the information provided before a story--a spoiler--may increase the enjoyment of that story, perhaps by increasing the processing fluency experienced during reading. In one experiment, we tested the reliability of these findings by closely replicating existing methods and the generality of these findings by using different stories. We also examined the role of processing fluency in the effect of spoilers by measuring reading time. Finally, we examined the influence of spoilers presented mid-story, after a reader has had a chance to get invested in the story. We found that spoilers presented before a story reduced enjoyment, whereas those presented mid-story had no discernable effect. The difference between our findings and those in the literature are discussed with respect to types of spoilers as well as potentially critical methodological factors.
Descriptors: Literary Genres, Reading Fluency, Reliability, Reading Processes, Role, Psychology, Online Surveys, Computer Software, Individual Differences, Scoring, Statistical Analysis
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A