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Cited by 117Media Influence and HealthNarrative Theory and AnalysisNews Media Framing and Political Communication

Affective News: Effects of Discourse Structure in Narratives on Suspense, Curiosity, and Enjoyment While Reading News and Novels

Knobloch, Silvia, Patzig, Grit, Mende, Anna-Maria, Hastall, Matthias·2004·Communication Research
DOI 10.1177/0093650203261517
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Abstract

Three studies were conducted to investigate effects of narrative’s discourse structures and factuality on suspense, curiosity, and reading enjoyment. Data collected with a questionnaire to measure suspense and curiosity substantiated the discriminant validity of these dimensions. In a Web-based study and two paper-pencil studies, respondents read texts that were manipulated for type of discourse structure (linear, reversal, or inverted type). To manipulate factuality (high vs. low), texts were presented either as news reports or as novel excerpts, a treatment that proved to be effective. All assumptions gained empirical support. The linear type evoked more suspense than either reversal or inverted type. Curiosity was higher in reaction to reversal-type narratives than it was for either linear-type or inverted-type narratives. The linear and the reversal type both produced greater reading enjoyment than the inverted type. These effects were independent of factuality of media content.

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  • In Knobloch et al. (2004), linear organization of events increased audience suspense while reversed organization elicited more curiosity.

    “The linear organization of events increased audience suspense while the reversed organization of events elicited more curiosity.”

    From Stories in Action. (2022) · cites this paper as Knobloch et al., 2004

  • These effects were independent of the factuality of media content.

    “These effects were independent of the factuality of media content, underscoring the value of meaningful connections between events.”

    From Stories in Action. (2022) · cites this paper as Knobloch et al., 2004

  • Linear and reversed stories both produced greater reading enjoyment than the inverted story.

    “Equally, the linear and reversed stories both produced greater reading enjoyment than the inverted story.”

    From Stories in Action. (2022) · cites this paper as Knobloch et al., 2004

Cites

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

  • Stories in Action.

    Walsh, J., Vaida, N., Coman, A., & Fiske, S. T. (2022) · Psychological Science in the Public Interest · doi:10.1177/15291006231161337 · Cited by 26 · see citing works

    “To investigate how the presentation of causal junctures affects the audience’s experience of stories, Knobloch et al. (2004) varied the attributes of stories that participants read, including the story’s causal chain (i.e., linear vs. reversed [out of order] vs. inverted [outcomes featured first])…”
    Background

Authors
Knobloch, S., Patzig, G., Mende, A.-M., & Hastall, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
ORCID
Hastall, Matthias
Venue
Communication Research
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2004-06
Volume
31
Issue
3
Pages
259-287
ISSN
  • 0093-6502 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-3810
DOI
10.1177/0093650203261517
OpenAlex
W2128577104
Cited by
117
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
90.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Communication Research (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Communication › Media Influence and Health
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Narrative Theory and Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Communication › News Media Framing and Political Communication
Keywords
suspense, curiosity, reading for pleasure, factuality, news narratives, linear narrative, novel excerpt

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