Gender Characteristics and Comparisons in the Emotional Reception of Standard and Aesthetically Integrated Subtitles in a Fantasy-Thriller Context

Authors: Mével, P.A., Leveridge, F., Tsikandilakis, M.

Journal: Journal of Audiovisual Translation

Publication Date: 17/03/2025

Volume: 8

Issue: 1

eISSN: 2617-9148

DOI: 10.47476/jat.v8i1.2025.335

Abstract:

In this article, we test the findings by Leveridge and colleagues (2024) regarding the reception of aesthetically integrated subtitles (AIS), and most critically, we explore the role of gender in these outcomes. We explore psychophysiological (skin conductance and heart rate) and self-report responses (questionnaires) among three different subtitle deliveries (no subtitles, standard subtitles, and aesthetically integrated), and between male and female participants in a series of clips from the Russian thriller-horror film Night Watch (Bekmambetov, 2004). This research involves an entire array of film clips, including AIS from Night Watch. We use null-hypothesis-significance-testing (NHST) and Bayesian analyses to explore the claim that AIS enhance psychophysiological arousal and viewing experience quality compared to standard subtitles (STS) and investigate the gender characteristics and differences in the reported outcomes. We provide a replication of previous findings. Critically, we show that female participants exhibited higher arousal for AIS, also separately for all subtitle types, which was not reflected in significant between-gender differences for self-reports for intensity and arousal. In another novel section of this research, we show that AIS increased interest in film genres for both genders, suggesting their significant potential for future audiovisual translation practices.

Source: Scopus