Is Waiting the Hardest Part? Comparing the Emotional Experiences of Awaiting and Receiving Bad News
PRIMARY, two studies. Study 1 asked participants to reflect on a personal experience awaiting news that turned out badly; Study 2 followed law graduates awaiting bar-exam results who ultimately failed. THE MOST PRECISE TEST OF 'SUFFERS TWICE' IN THE FILE, and it splits: the authors report that anxiety peaked while people anticipated the bad news, at least as the moment of truth arrived, while other negative emotions were stronger once the news came. Their conclusion is that whether waiting is the hardest part depends on whether a person would rather be racked with anxiety or afflicted by other negative emotions such as anger, disappointment, depression and regret. So the fo
PRIMARY, two studies. Study 1 asked participants to reflect on a personal experience awaiting news that turned out badly; Study 2 followed law graduates awaiting bar-exam results who ultimately failed. THE MOST PRECISE TEST OF 'SUFFERS TWICE' IN THE FILE, and it splits: the authors report that anxiety peaked while people anticipated the bad news, at least as the moment of truth arrived, while other negative emotions were stronger once the news came. Their conclusion is that whether waiting is the hardest part depends on whether a person would rather be racked with anxiety or afflicted by other negative emotions such as anger, disappointment, depression and regret. So the fo
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Sweeny, K., & Falkenstein, A. (2015). Is Waiting the Hardest Part? Comparing the Emotional Experiences of Awaiting and Receiving Bad News. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(11), 1551-1559. doi:10.1177/0146167215601407.