Abstract
Results of an online survey suggest that heavy binge-watching of serialized video content might be in part socially motivated. Among a sample of US college students, heavy binge-watchers were more likely to be opinion leaders and to experience fear of missing out (FOMO) than regular binge-watchers or non-binge-watchers. They also reported higher levels of parasocial engagement with the shows’ characters than other viewers. Contrary to common beliefs, heavy binge-watching did not come at the cost of decreased social engagement. Quite the opposite: heavy binge-watchers reported spending significantly more time in interactions with friends and family on a daily basis than non-binge-watchers. Heavy binge-watching was also modestly associated with a few negative outcomes (loss of sleep and decrease in productivity).
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 201-221 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Journal of Digital Media and Policy |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 2022 |
Keywords
- binge-watching
- fear of missing out (FOMO)
- serial video
- television
- video streaming
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication
- Media Technology
- Sociology and Political Science