How Problematic are Suspenseful Interactions?

TL;DR

This study empirically examines the social acceptability of suspenseful interactions in technology, finding they are less problematic than guidelines suggest, with small effect sizes and high overall acceptability.

Contribution

It provides the first controlled empirical replication of the suspensefulness effect, challenging existing social acceptability guidelines for interactive technologies.

Findings

Suspenseful interactions can be statistically replicated but have small effect sizes.

All interaction forms, including suspenseful ones, received high social acceptability scores.

Suspenseful interactions are less problematic than current guidelines imply.

Abstract

Current "social acceptability" guidelines for interactive technologies advise against certain, seemingly problematic forms of interaction. Specifically, "suspenseful" interactions, characterized by visible manipulations and invisible effects, are generally considered be problematic. However, the empirical grounding for this claim is surprisingly weak. To test its validity, this paper presents a controlled replication study (n = 281) of the "suspensefulness effect". Although it could be statistically replicated with two out of three social acceptability measures, effect sizes were small (r =< .2), and all compared forms of interaction, including the suspenseful one, had high absolute social acceptability scores. Thus, despite the slight negative effect, suspenseful interactions seem less problematic in the overall scheme of things. We discuss alternative approaches to improve the social acceptability of interactive technology, and recommend to more closely engage with their specific social situatedness.