Investigating Responses to Narrative Cliffhangers Using Affective Disposition Theory

Abstract

Despite the prevalence of cliffhangers in popular narrative entertainment, little research has attempted to investigate the impact of these purportedly high-suspense, unresolved narrative endings on audience responses. Guided by affective disposition theory (ADT), in two between-subjects experiments (NStudy 1 = 202; NStudy 2 = 273) we investigated the extent to which audiences reported greater suspense, enjoyment, and desires for a future narrative installment in written narratives ending in a cliffhanger compared to narratives ending in a protagonist or antagonist victory. Results revealed (1) cliffhanger audiences desired a future story installment more than audiences who read a story ending featuring a protagonist victory (both studies) and antagonist victory (Study 2), and (2) no significant differences in audiences’ enjoyment or suspense for those who read a story ending in a cliffhanger compared to those who read an ending featuring either resolution. These findings suggest that cliffhangers may serve as a useful narrative device for maximizing audience retention throughout a series without necessarily sacrificing viewers’ enjoyment of the narrative. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical implications for understanding cliffhangers as a disruption in the story evaluation process outlined by ADT. Practical implications for writers who may consider adopting cliffhangers in their narratives are also discussed.