A Just and Happy Ending: Exploring Viewers’ Judgment of Justice on Enjoyment of Crime Drama in Interactive Movie Events

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined viewers’ reasoning about justice and enjoyment of crime drama in interactive movie events. Based on the integrated model of enjoyment for crime drama, we examined the role of viewers’ judgment of justice for enjoyment and theoretically discussed the role of virtually present co-viewers. We conducted a lab experiment with N= 148 participants watching a full interactive movie manipulating the viewers’ notion of what is just with what is presented in screen. Results confirm that viewers’ enjoyment is a function of the viewers’ judgment of justice and that virtually present co-viewers can serve as a justice compass.