Abstract:

The experiential learning may be based on the real work or on the life experience, as well as on the structured experience simulating the real life or work. This research work results from the hypothesis that the identification process of the viewers of audiovisual fiction with fictional characters is a dynamic system of relations leading both directions. The comparison of the fictional character and his/her situation with the viewer, performs a crucial part of the social and emotional learning. Experience gained through this form of the experiential learning becomes a new part of a continually formed individual personality. We are especially interested in the relation between viewer’s identified and favourite characters, because we suppose that there are differences between those characters. For empirical confirmation of these general statements, at least for the purpose of this research, we are interested in a very specific type of respondents – young people, who are regularly confronted with the fiction, and think of it as indivisible part of their lives. This paper sums up the results of quantitative and qualitative research. The research sample of the questionnaire research is created from 2,169 respondents who participated in the data collection. We also present results from case studies. In the case studies we are analysing the viewers’ discussion of three TV series: Grey’s Anatomy (2005), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and Sex and the City (1998-2004). The main research issue of the presented case studies is to find out and describe the process of identification as well as the similarities and differences between viewers’ identified and favourite characters.

Keywords:

experiential learning, lifelong learning, informal learning, favourite characters, identified characters, viewer, research, case studies, questionnaire.