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I haven't read the original paper, but from the way it's described, it's a poor one.
Yes, the anticipation of a twist or shocking tragedy at the end, can theoretically be as exciting as being blown away while clueless.
However, it so, so incredibly depends on the details and quality of how it's done.
I remember watching a 24 episode, of the last of the 1st season. I had read a spoiler that Jack was about to bring a "preparated" mobile to President Palmer without knowing it. So there I sat, with my nose at the screen, screaming "don't give him the phone, oh no, you've bought Hopper's lie, no, don't!" all the time... was it poisoned? Was Palmer gonna die?
Alright, there we come to the deciding moment... it's revealed that there's a bomb inside, Jack notices it, throws it away, resolved.
Had I not known it in advance, I probably would've just shrugged my shoulders!
But the excitement was all due to the spoiler, not the episode.
Not to make a sweeping statement about it (24 had lots and lots of strong moments), but many scenes or plot lines in it were boring and dragging, and the only thing that saved it was the constant tension of what was going to happen next, and the regular mind-blowing twists.
On the other hand, sometimes those twists seemed to almost justify the weaker parts that came before, because it may have been boring, but this is what they had planned for you!!
So, do you enjoy it more without the spoilers, because the tension and twists keep you at your toes? Or... do you accept the boring parts more readily because you know what's in store and can't await how it's gonna all turn into shit?
Do we really wanna see Kim make out with that stupid street boy? But... IT'S A GIANT CONSPIRACY BY TERRORISTS THAT WILL ONLY BE FULLY REVEALED IN 9 EPISODES... BRILLIANCE, BETTER PAY ATTENTION TO EACH WORD!!
And there already, we have a massive ambiguity.
I watched the 6th sense the other day, already knowing the twist - it was cool, but like watching it a second time.
I enjoyed the little deceptive details here and there, but I would've done so on second viewing, and feel like having missed the mind-blowing twist at the end.
I quite enjoyed "Identity" in the same way at the second viewing, but was BLOWN AWAY by the twist the first time around.
I knew the LOST spoiler ahead, but blended it out while watching Season 6, because it seemed so much like actual flash-sideways, the fact that it was going to resolve into afterlife seemed non-existent.
So it's probably all the same, I was in for a disappointment and wasn't negatively shocked by it. On the other hand, maybe I would've been a tide more intrigued and excited without knowing it... then again, preparing myself for an even bigger disappointment.
Shutter Island? I knew about the spoiler, but it was so brilliant (to me), and was prepared so convincingly, I was blown away by it even when I watched it!
It all depends on various factors like this.
How well prepared is the twist? Or how artificial, and deceptive the preparation?
Do the parts before the spoiler hold up on their own? Or do you need the twist to come to a terribly needed rescue?
At the end of the day, both the anticipation and the surprise can have positive effects, but it all depends on those factors, and the QUALITY of how it's executed.
A study that doesn't take any of that into account and attempts to make a sweeping statement based on a few students reading a few books? Do not want.