Can surprise work for a social change? Surprise not only generates an emotional reaction, but is also a push to learn, and an experience that people get excited to share with others.

‘Surprise not only generates an emotional reaction, but is also a push to learn, and an experience that people get excited to share with others.’

"We're in an information-rich environment where our primary challenge is how to identify what to pay attention to. And surprise, which shatters expectations, is a signal that says 'Hey! Pay attention!'," the researchers added.
That surprise can lead to changing attitude and shifting preconceptions.
"Critically, there is a second effect because you are not only making one person more open, you are also making them your ambassador. You are likely to generate word of mouth as they share the surprising experience with others. Surprise is a force multiplier for communication," Loewenstein said. 




What generates surprise need not be accidental or random. According to Loewenstein, there are predictable methods or patterns, such as the repetition-break structure, for generating surprise. "Crafting surprises is something everyone can learn to do, and they will be more influential if they do," he noted.
Source-IANS