<p>There is no ambiguity as such with respect to expectations in those examples. When you buy a Kinder Egg, you know up front you won't know what's in there. In other words, it's perfectly unambiguous that you don't know what to expect from a Kinder Egg.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-02T17:49:26.537Z
2016-06-02T17:49:26.537Z
Christian Hummeluhr
<p>The ambiguity effect says that we try to avoid uncertain outcomes. Still, many products are selling well excactly because they give uncertain outcomes. One example is Kinder Eggs, and many similar candies\toys. Some shops also get rid og their spare products by selling them in 'surprise bags'.</p>

<p><strong>Why do people like buying products with uncertain outcomes, if the ambiguity effect is true?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-02T18:35:58.943Z
Isn't the propensity of people to get addicted to gambling not opposing this theory? Novelty seeking opposes it too. Quite frankly, I don't understand the premise of this question. Especially so since an expected surprise is not a surprise... Maybe I'm missing something O.o
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-02T23:25:29.997Z
@Christiaan FWIW, The functions of ACh and NE have been cast in terms of "expected uncertainty" vs. "unexpected uncertainty" (e.g., [here](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627305003624)).  And the reason why novelty seeking doesn't necessarily oppose this idea is addressed, e.g., [here](http://users.monash.edu/~naotsugt/Tsuchiya_Labs_Homepage/Bryan_Paton_files/Commentary%20.pdf) ("the dark room problem").  Don't know if this helps clarify things.
mrt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-03T02:43:41.253Z
@mrt that sounds like an answer
Seanny123
<consumer-psychology>
Why do we like expected surprises?
Berit Larsen
# Why do we like expected surprises?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-02)

The ambiguity effect says that we try to avoid uncertain outcomes. Still, many products are selling well excactly because they give uncertain outcomes. One example is Kinder Eggs, and many similar candies\toys. Some shops also get rid og their spare products by selling them in 'surprise bags'.

**Why do people like buying products with uncertain outcomes, if the ambiguity effect is true?**

**Tags:** consumer-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Isn't the propensity of people to get addicted to gambling not opposing this theory? Novelty seeking opposes it too. Quite frankly, I don't understand the premise of this question. Especially so since an expected surprise is not a surprise... Maybe I'm missing something O.o  
> **username_2**: @Christiaan FWIW, The functions of ACh and NE have been cast in terms of "expected uncertainty" vs. "unexpected uncertainty" (e.g., [here](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627305003624)).  And the reason why novelty seeking doesn't necessarily oppose this idea is addressed, e.g., [here](http://users.monash.edu/~naotsugt/Tsuchiya_Labs_Homepage/Bryan_Paton_files/Commentary%20.pdf) ("the dark room problem").  Don't know if this helps clarify things.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 that sounds like an answer  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-06-02. Score: 2

There is no ambiguity as such with respect to expectations in those examples. When you buy a Kinder Egg, you know up front you won't know what's in there. In other words, it's perfectly unambiguous that you don't know what to expect from a Kinder Egg.


---

