Interrupted Consumption

What it is

Nelson and Meyvis reported across six studies that interrupting pleasant experiences, such as a song or a massage chair, made them more enjoyable afterwards, because the break disrupted hedonic adaptation. Participants tended to avoid breaks in pleasant experiences even though breaks helped.

In effect

The article on advent calendars uses it as one reason a daily door, which builds in a break between treats, can keep a small reward enjoyable.

What it does not say

The same breaks made unpleasant experiences more irritating, so the effect depends on the experience. The studies used short experiences such as songs, noises and a massage chair.

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