How danmaku influences emotional responses : exploring the effects of co-viewing and copresence

Abstract

With the development of mass communication technology, audiences have become more active and engaged. A novel online commentary system, danmaku, enables users to generate content-synchronous comments overlaid on a video at any time point. Several unique features of danmaku (synchronization and positioning) distinguish it from YouTube comments and Social TV. This study was designed to determine whether danmaku generated copresence, and how copresence influenced viewers’ emotional responses to horror films and comedy. A 3 (danmaku comment amount) x 2 (genre) factorial experiment was carried out in a lab. The danmaku comment amount (none, a moderate amount, and an excessive amount) was manipulated between-subjects, and genre (comedy and horror) was manipulated within-subjects. The results of the study indicate that danmaku can generate a certain level of copresence. Danmaku also has some effects on positive affect to horror. Theoretically, danmaku provides a novel co-viewing pattern and the concept of co-viewing needs to be extended. The co-viewing experience induced by danmaku is asynchronous virtual co-viewing experience, and co-viewing can go beyond the traditional form of physically sitting together and watching simultaneously. This study also provides insights for danmaku popularization and promotion, and has implications for the online video industry.