Understanding Chinese Society Through Audience Reviews of American Films: Gender and Regional Perspectives

Our study employs computational methods to explore gender and regional differences in Chinese audiences’ preferences for American films and TV dramas, using a rich dataset of Douban movie reviews. We applied advanced topic modeling techniques to analyze review content based on gender and region. Our findings reveal distinct preferences: female audiences favor themes of pets, family, and love, using emotional vocabulary, while male audiences prefer fantasy, adventure, and gaming, often incorporating Internet-specific language and profanities. Additionally, our analysis shows that audiences from economically developed regions have an affinity for Christmas and French romance themes, whereas those from less developed areas focus more on social issues like school bullying and racial discrimination. Leveraging Social Identity Theory and Cultural Capital Theory, we interpret these preferences as reflections of social roles, gender identity, cultural backgrounds, economic development, and media environments. This integrated approach offers deeper insights into the socio-cultural dynamics within different gender and regional groups in Chinese society. Our study underscores the impact of imbalances in economic and cultural capital on the widening social and cultural divide, proposes policy recommendations to promote cultural equity, and advocates for the localization of theories and the advancement of cultural fairness within the framework of globalization.