Interrupted consumption: disrupting adaptation to hedonic experiences
Nelson and Meyvis report six studies showing that interrupting a consumption experience can make pleasant experiences more enjoyable and unpleasant ones more irritating, even though consumers avoid breaks in pleasant experiences and choose breaks in unpleasant ones. Across varied hedonic experiences, such as listening to noises or songs and sitting in a massage chair, breaks disrupt hedonic adaptation and so intensify the experience that follows.
Nelson and Meyvis report six studies showing that interrupting a consumption experience can make pleasant experiences more enjoyable and unpleasant ones more irritating, even though consumers avoid breaks in pleasant experiences and choose breaks in unpleasant ones. Across varied hedonic experiences, such as listening to noises or songs and sitting in a massage chair, breaks disrupt hedonic adaptation and so intensify the experience that follows.
Written from the abstract as shown on the OpenAlex record, read 2026-11-04.
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Nelson, L. D., & Meyvis, T. (2008). Interrupted consumption: disrupting adaptation to hedonic experiences. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(6), 654-664. doi:10.1509/jmkr.45.6.654.