Cultural proximity and interactivity in the processes of narrative reception

© 2016 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. This study aims to further our understanding of the reception processes associated with the consumption of new interactive audiovisual products by individuals from different cultures. Through a quasi-experimental research, it analysed reception of a film produced in Germany, in two different European socio-cultural contexts (Spain and The Netherlands). A 2 × 2 factorial design was used, the independent variables being cultural proximity (high, low) and the modality in which the movie was viewed (interactive, non-interactive). Cultural proximity influenced the processes of evaluating the movie, but viewing modality showed no significant differences. Identification with the protagonists of the movie was associated in both cultural contexts with enjoyment, self-perceived physical sensations and emotional induction. These results are relevant for explaining how receivers from different cultures react to audiovisual productions of different origin and to new forms of consumption.