Predicting Active Sport Participant's Approach Behaviors from Emotions and Meaning Attributed to Sport Event Experience

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of emotions on sport consumers' meanings, or stored cognitive evaluations, attributed to a participatory sport event experience, and measure how these constructs directly influence event satisfaction and indirectly influence future approach behaviors. Data were collected from a sample of 231 5K and half marathon runners in the Southeastern US using a postevent online survey. Results indicated that meaning attributed to the event experience partially mediated the relationship between emotions and event satisfaction. Additionally, event satisfaction significantly influenced future approach behaviors. Finally, positive emotions (i.e., elation) had a stronger relationship with meaning attributed to the event experience than negative ones (i.e., anger, unhappiness, and worry). The findings illustrated how positive affective experiences drive consumers' cognitive processes related to the formation of meaning and satisfaction in a sport event context and contribute to positive behaviors that are vital to sport organizations.