Cue-Based Authenticity Appraisals in Limited-Verifiability Contexts: A Two-Study Test in Historic Automotive Events

Visitors often judge whether a heritage event feels genuine before they can check facts. We studied this at historic automotive events. Study 1 used 520 visitor surveys from four live European events. Study 2 was a randomized 2 × 2 brochure experiment with 640 participants. Both studies measured temporal transportation (a felt sense of being close to the era on display), nostalgic affect, and visitor-perceived authenticity appraisal. The measurement model fitted well in both studies. In Study 2, the average variance extracted for temporal transportation and nostalgic affect was marginal when considered alone. Richer sensory cueing was positively associated with temporal transportation and nostalgic affect in the field, and under random assignment richer brochure wording increased both states. Temporal transportation was positively associated with authenticity appraisal in both studies. Nostalgic affect was also related to authenticity appraisal, but more strongly when the event’s sustainability legitimacy was higher. Study 1 reports adjusted field associations. Study 2 identifies effects of the assigned descriptions. Later links among the measured states are within-session associations. The results are consistent with a bounded account. Distinct perceived cue domains were associated with past-oriented experiential presence in the field.