Evaluating Sci-fi Readers’ Perspective: Correlation between Immersive Emotion and Speculative Factors

Authors

  • Yuuki Namba newQ/Ritsumeikan University
  • Miwa Nishinaka
  • Sachiko Kiyokawa
  • Dohjin Miyamoto
  • Tomoya Minegishi
  • Ryu Miyata
  • Hirotaka Osawa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52731/liir.v003.062

Keywords:

cognitive value, evaluation factors of science fiction, narrative engagement scale, science fiction prototyping

Abstract

The narrative experience in stories influences subsequent beliefs related to it but no quantitative research has been conducted in the sci-fi genre. Therefore, this study identified factors for the quantitative evaluation of the narrative experience of science fiction (sci-fi). Data on sci-fi readers were collected using a questionnaire survey in 2022. The questionnaire items were developed based on the narrative engagement scale and sci-fi studies. The scale explains factors consisting of the narrative experience that novels bring to readers. A total of 978 samples were statistically analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. As a result, three latent constructs were found: “comprehension,” “immersion,” and “speculation,” which is a specific factor in sci-fi. Next, a correlation analysis was performed for the three constructs. The results showed that the correlation between immersion and speculation was higher than any other correlation. The study’s findings such as: (1) the narrative engagement scales could be applied to sci-fi evaluation, (2) the identification of an evaluation factor unique to the narrative experience of sci-fi “speculation” and (3) clarification of the relationship between the emotional immersive factor and speculation factor, suggests that the influence of sci-fi on immersive emotion changes the future perspective of readers. 

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Published

2023-02-17