The dual nature of experience
Experience is an ongoing modeling of the world over time that we 1) feel in the moment and 2) may reflect on later in different contexts. Often researchers focus only on what people feel in the immediate moment and ignore reflections back to that moment. But meaningful experiences don't just happen and then disappear forever. They continue to live on through banter, storytelling, daydreams, and in any number of other ways.
Think of the festival-goer who leaves her entry bracelet on for days after the event. As experiences live on and we reflect on them from different vantage points and with different needs, they undergo shifts in meaning and emphasis.
Companies have opportunities to support and guide reflections back to meaningful experiences in ways that enrich emotional connection to product and brand.