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

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.&nbsp