Dubbing or Subtitling?
Effects on Spatial Presence, Transportation, Flow, and Enjoyment
Abstract
Dubbing and subtitling are the two most common methods of translating television broadcasts or movies. Both dubbing and subtitling may present specific advantages and disadvantages. In this study, the effects of these two methods on presence, transportation, flow, and enjoyment were investigated in an experimental approach. Participants (N = 154) watched a 30-min segment of a movie. Between-subject factors were translation method (dubbing without subtitles, dubbing with subtitles in a foreign language, and original language with subtitles) and genre (drama, comedy, and thriller). Findings indicate that subtitles in a foreign language decrease feelings of spatial presence, transportation, and flow. However, the difference between dubbing and subtitling failed to reach significance. No effect of translation method on enjoyment was found. The pattern of results is equal for all genres. Further analyses showed spatial presence, transportation, and flow to be related. In addition, transportation is more strongly related to enjoyment than flow and spatial presence.
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