The role of preferred coping style and emotional forewarning in predicting emotional reactions to a suspenseful film

Based on a study by Sparks (1989b), the present investigation experiment report that which the effects of emotional forewarning to a suspenseful film are dependent upon one's preferred way of coping with stressful events. Preferred coping style was assessed with the MBSS (Miller Behavioral Style Scale) that classifies individuals as either monitors or blunters. After receiving either a low or high emotional forewarning about the events in the film, participants of each coping style were exposed to a suspenseful film clip from the movie, When A Stranger Calls. Emotional responses were assessed by self‐report and physiological measures. There is evidence indicating that monitors found the high‐forewarning condition preferable to the low‐forewarning condition, while blunters found the low‐forewarning condition to be preferable. These results are discussed in terms of earlier research on forewarning and emotional responses to suspenseful films.