Non-hedonic experiences: why do people voluntarily consume pain and negative emotions?[Expériences non hédoniques : pourquoi les individus consomment-ils volontairement de la douleur et des émotions négatives ?]

Horror movies, dark tourism, skydiving, rafting, marathons, survival camps, are all market experiences that propose to consumers to pay in order to experience, in the short term, moments of difficulty, both physical and emotional. Our research focuses on the experiential context of non-hedonic consumption experiences, that is, experiences that by their nature involve negative emotions and/or physical pain, and the perceived meaning and benefits of such consumption? Through four participant observations conducted during various tourist and leisure experiences (silent retreat, Mud Day, cold reinforcement trip, and horror Escape Game), we have shown, among other things, that, under certain conditions, pain and negative emotions represent a necessary step to the perception of personal benefits, particularly in terms of fun, eudemonic well-being, and social connection.