The power of anticipatory appraisals In real life, amputations are horrifying. But in comedies, people may react to them with laughter. How can that be? The context—the comedic film in which the amputation occurs—influences anticipatory appraisals, the thoughts people have just prior to an event. Appraisals, in turn, shape emotional reactions. In this image from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, King Arthur becomes annoyed with the Black Knight, who tries to continue the battle even after being disarmed.