The Evaluative Consequences of Experiencing Unexpected Favorable Events

Abstract

The authors examine the effects of a sweepstakes on evaluation of a prize. Participants were entered in a sweepstakes with a high or low probability of winning a prize (a product), which they subsequently won or lost, and then reviewed an ad for the same product that did or did not credibly support claims of product quality. When participants believed they were the winners of a prize they did not expect to win, their evaluations of that prize were based more on their favorable reactions to the sweepstakes per se than on a careful appraisal of the available information on the product. These findings seem useful in explaining why sweepstakes operators often are able to convince consumers of the value of a “prize” when its claims of quality lack credibility. Theoretical implications of alternative model predictions and results are discussed.