If novelty functions as a heuristic, overriding central, careful processing, the skills and future growth of the competitor become secondary to novelty, an evaluation response that may not offer a reflective assessment of a student’s performance.

Josh Compton

Although not a specific requirement for public address or interpretation events, novelty is often an expectation in forensics activities; however, there is a lack of a theoretical perspective to explain why novelty generally increases valuation of forensics performances. This essay offers Brock’s (1968) commodity theory of scarcity effects as an explanatory for novelty’s appeal. In addition, the paper provides both criticism and justification regarding novelty in forensics evaluations in the context of commodity theory.

Compton, J. (2004). A scarcity principle explanation of novelty in forensics performance. The Forensic of Pi Kappa Delta, 124-132.