Decoding the Opening Process

Five experiments confirmed the hypothesis that observing a box being opened is intrinsically rewarding and that the positive feelings it elicits can increase evaluations of its contents independently of the nature of these contents. Even though a product is already familiar, seeing it in a box being opened can elicit enjoyment and increase evaluations of it. This is true even when the cover of the box is transparent (and so its contents can be easily seen when the box is closed). Moreover, seeing a box being opened increases evaluations of the box even when the box is empty. When the contents of a box are unknown, opening the box can elicit surprise, polarizing evaluations of the product contained in it. When the product is already familiar, however, the opening process influences product evaluations through its impact on enjoyment.