Effects of Arousal on Pleasure: the Role of Telic and Paratelic States of Mind

Based on a theoretical framework that combines Thayer’s (1978) two-dimensional arousal model, reversal theory and appraisal theories, we propose that tense arousal and energetic arousal have independent effects on pleasure, and that activation for each arousal route depends on consumer motivations. Studies in an interactive product setting and a vacation resort setting confirmed the existence of two arousal routes to consumer pleasure. The vacation resort study also supported that a tense arousal route works to the extent that people are predominantly telic in orientation, whereas an energetic arousal route works to the extent that people are predominantly paratelic in orientation.

Citation:

Xiaomeng Fan, Duane Wegener, En-Chung Chang, and Richard Feinberg (2011) ,"Effects of Arousal on Pleasure: the Role of Telic and Paratelic States of Mind", in AP - Asia-Pacific Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, eds. Zhihong Yi, Jing Jian Xiao, and June Cotte and Linda Price, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 123-124.