Exploring the psychological and cognitive mechanisms of literary translation: A multilevel moderation perspective on cultural context

This study investigates how literary translation influences reader interpretation through the dual mediating mechanisms of psychological impact and cognitive engagement, while also examining how cultural context moderates these relationships. Drawing on data collected from 471 university students across five culturally distinct regions of China, the study applies a multilevel moderated mediation model to assess both emotional and cognitive processing pathways. Results show that literary translation significantly affects reader interpretation indirectly via both psychological and cognitive routes. Importantly, the strength of the emotional pathway is contingent upon cultural context: readers from culturally congruent backgrounds exhibit stronger emotional resonance, which enhances interpretation outcomes. However, the cognitive engagement route remains consistent across cultural settings. These findings highlight the complex interplay between translation quality, reader psychology, and cultural proximity, offering new insights into the contextual sensitivity of translated literary experiences.