Investigating affective and emotional responses to motion in 4D movies

Abstract

In the film industry, physical effects that enhance the sense of reality are known as four dimensional (4D) effects, which aim to intensify viewers’ affective and emotional experiences. Despite their growing use, empirical research on how 4D effects influence emotional responses remains limited. This study focuses on motion, one of the most commonly applied 4D effects, and investigates how single roll motion influences affective and emotional responses. Participants viewed short movie clips with and without a single roll motion while their physiological responses such as heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), and facial electromyograph (EMG) were recorded. They also reported the intensities of felt emotions and perceived emotions and affects. The results revealed that single roll motion significantly increased HR and SCL. The subjective evaluation showed enhanced levels of surprise and arousal (felt emotions), as well as increased perceived dangerous and strong (perceived affects). These findings provide empirical evidence that single roll motion can enhance affective and emotional responses in 4D experiences. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of motion and emotion in 4D experience.