以領域分析方法探索博物館學領域中觀眾研究之發展

Abstract

博物館的核心典範與營運策略於20世紀後從機構取向轉換為以觀眾為中心，博物館觀眾研究在此背景下逐漸蓬勃發展，並具備實務應用的需求與目的。然而在實際執行上，相關文獻指出觀眾研究與博物館實務之間存在落差，包括轉化觀眾研究結果為實際運營策略及指引實務執行等，都限制了博物館觀眾研究在實務層面的效益。此外，過去的博物館觀眾研究多為個案研究，基於不同場域、主題、目的，以及近年大量採用新興媒體科技等差異，研究結果與發現經常分散且分歧，因此，針對博物館觀眾相關研究的系統化彙整，對於觀眾研究的長期發展與實務應用有其必要性。藉由揭示博物館觀眾研究的發展狀況、研究缺口及應用面向與效益，提升博物館相關人員的理解與認同，並增進執行觀眾研究的能力，進而將研究成果應用於實務工作中獲得效益，形成良性循環。本研究基於上述背景，結合資訊計量與社會網絡分析之研究方法，以文獻中的關鍵字共現為基礎，並以視覺化網絡分佈視圖作為輔助，探索博物館觀眾相關研究之發展歷程、核心主題分佈狀況與各主題重視與應用的面向。 本研究以Scopus與Web of Science核心合集兩個綜合型資料庫為研究資料來源，蒐集共9,653篇博物館觀眾研究相關文獻，得到24,910個關鍵字進行分析。研究結果指出，博物館觀眾相關研究以2005年為臨界點，文獻與關鍵字數量開始大量成長，顯示觀眾研究對於博物館的重要性日益提升，也反映了博物館觀眾研究的主題更加多元與廣泛。透過時序劃分則可發現博物館觀眾研究的發展歷程共可分為三個階段：1980年以前與1980年代各研究獨立探索不同主題；1990年代至2004年則是出現共通關鍵字，但探索主題仍缺乏共通性；2005至2022年形成領域中受到共同關注的核心主題，其中2005至2014年以教育與學習為主，而2015至2022則著重於文化遺產中的科技應用。另一方面，社會網絡分析結果指出，博物館觀眾相關研究所高頻率使用的關鍵字共有10個不同的叢集，透過網絡分佈情況與關鍵字主題以確認各叢集的核心主題。這些主題皆與博物館運營有關，可歸類為「藝術／文化／歷史之詮釋、展示與應用」、「科技應用」、「教育／學習」、「行銷／推廣／傳播」、「社會包容」五個類型，而各主題皆有所重視的博物館類型／研究場域、研究對象，以及所採用的研究設計與學科領域／理論基礎。在呈現觀眾研究中主題結構之虞，更反映了目前領域中的研究缺口。 本研究透過資訊計量與社會網絡分析方法，系統化說明了博物館觀眾研究的全貌與分佈。並基於研究結果與發現，提出對博物館實務與研究上的具體建議，有助相關從業人員瞭解整體趨勢發展以評估觀眾研究的執行與運用需求。

The paradigm and the operational strategies of museums shifted from an institution-oriented approach to a visitor-centered approach after the 20th century. Driven by practical needs and objectives, the domain of museum visitor studies has gradually thrived. However, there have been gaps between visitor studies and museum operations, including the transformation of research findings into operational strategies and guidance for implementation, limiting the practical benefits of visitor studies. Most of previous museum visitor studies were case studies, resulting in fragmented and divergent findings due to variations in venues, themes, objectives, and the increasing use of emerging media technologies. Therefore, there is a necessity for a systematic compilation of museum visitor studies to foster its long-term development and practical application. By revealing the developmental status, research gaps, and application dimensions and benefits of museum visitor studies, this study aims to enhance understanding and recognition among museum professionals, improve their ability to conduct visitor research, and ultimately apply research outcomes effectively in practical work, forming a positive cycle of utilization. This study combines Informetrics and Social Network Analysis methods, utilizing co-occurrence keywords in the literatures as the foundation and employing visualized network distribution maps as assistance, to explore the historical development, the distribution of core themes, and the emphasis and application aspects of each theme. The data of this study were sourced from two comprehensive databases, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection, resulting in a dataset of 9,653 publications related to museum visitor studies, comprising 24,910 unique keywords for analysis. The findings indicate that museum visitor studies experienced a tipping point around 2005, with a substantial increase in the quantity of publications and keywords, highlighting the growing importance of visitor studies in museums and the diversification of research themes. Through chronological division, the development of museum visitor studies can be classified into three stages: before 1980 and the 1980s, characterized by independent explorations of various themes; the 1990s to 2004, where co-occurrence keyword “heritage” emerged, but shared research themes were still lacking; and 2005 to 2022, forming a core theme with common interests. From 2005 to 2014, the main focus was on education and learning, while from 2015 to 2022, there was a concentration on technological applications in cultural heritage. Furthermore, Social Network Analysis revealed the high-frequency keywords in museum visitor studies can be grouped into 10 different clusters, identified the core themes through network distribution and keyword analysis. These themes are related to the operation of museums and can be classified into 5 categories: “Interpretation, Exhibition, and Application of Art/Culture/History,” “Technological Applications,” “Education/Learning,” “Marketing/Promotion/Communication,” and “Social Inclusion.” Each theme emphasizes specific types of museums, research fields, research subjects, research designs, and disciplinary/theoretical foundations. Presenting the thematic structure of visitor studies further highlights the current research gaps in the domain. Through the application of Informetrics and Social Network Analysis, this study provides a comprehensive overview and distribution of museum visitor studies. Based on the research findings, specific recommendations are proposed for museum practices and research, helping relevant practitioners understand the overall developmental trends and evaluate the implementation and utilization needs of visitor studies.