Novelty, unexpectedness and surprise: a conceptual clarification

Abstract

This research note distinguishes between the concepts of novelty, unexpectedness and surprise applied in research on tourism experiences. In the existing tourism discourse, these concepts are used interchangeably, generating terminological ambiguity and conceptual confusion. However, in cognitive psychology, each term has a distinct and identifiable meaning. This short communication articulates and interprets each concept through the lens of feelings-as-information and cognitive appraisal theories. In cognitive psychology, novelty is an appraisal dimension influencing the intensity of emotion. Unexpectedness is explained as a conscious recognition that novelty or a feeling of surprise has been experienced. Surprise, on the other hand, is defined as an unconscious (emotional) state, as well as conscious awareness of the event associated with feelings, which occurs due to the mismatch between expectations and actual experience (leading to an appraisal of novelty). Each of these three concepts has neutral valence, and thus may be associated with both pleasant and unpleasant tourism experiences. Overall, this research demonstrates that the use of cognitive psychology can provide much needed conceptual clarity on mental processes which underpin travel behaviour and experience memorability.