How to evaluate emotional experiences in television drama series: improving viewer evaluations using a combination of psychophysiological measurements and self-reports

This paper describes experiences with new methodological approaches utilised in early viewer evaluations of a public service television drama series. We would like to challenge self-reports as the only source of data in viewer evaluations of television drama series. Based on two viewer evaluation studies of one-hour drama series, both conducted in an applied research setting, weoutline pros and cons of electroencephalography (EEG) and skin conductance (SC) measurements tested in combination with in-depth interviews and written self-reports. In conclusion, we suggest a research design consisting of skin conductance measurement with written self-reports as the preferred method for viewer evaluations of television drama series conducted in an applied research setting where time and money is an important constraint.