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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binge-watching | 3/4 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binge-watching | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T15:44:10.240279+00:00 | kb-cron |
== Attentiveness == A 2019 study by Dr. Matthew Pittman of the University of Tennessee and Dr. Emil Steiner of Rowan University examined how attentiveness affected viewer experience and post-binge regret. "The survey (N = 800) determined that the degree to which an individual pays attention to a show may either increase or decrease subsequent regret, depending on the motivation for binge-watching." But simply watching shows that demand more attention is not enough to moderate post-binge regret. Their subsequent research (Pittman and Steiner, 2021) found that viewers who planned their binge-watching ahead of time were more likely to choose shows that aligned with their motives for watching — relaxing comedies, riveting dramas, nostalgic favorites. Such planning improved "viewer engagement, resulting in improved emotional outcomes." Within the television industry, speculation emerged in the early 2020s that binge watching a new series could make a series less memorable in the long term compared to shows released on a more traditional schedule; various streaming providers, led by Disney+, have had success releasing some of their original series on a weekly schedule, in contrast to the Netflix model which is most aggressive among the streaming providers in releasing episodes all at once. Showrunners have increasingly requested that their programs not be released in bulk as a creative decision. Mareike Jenner makes note of streaming services like Netflix using algorithms to recommend relevant content to viewers. Algorithms allow streaming services to personalize the user's experience by suggesting similar series to the one they just watched. Binge watching can be attributed to "the bored body problem," which Tina Kendall explains as the phenomenon of individuals feeling the need to feel engaged. Individuals who feel as if they have limited freedom or choice see binge watching as an activity to participate in. Kendall emphasizes that lockdown has heightened the need to get back into a rhythm as quarantine has left people feeling uncertain about how they should organize their day.
== Mood-regulation == Binge watching can be related to Zillmann's Mood Management Theory, which may account binge-watching as an emotional regulation process. In line with the mood management theory, media content selection could be driven by the purpose of mood regulation. Most people attempt to regulate their moods and shift it to a more positive one through television shows. Related viewing practices, while distinct from binge-watching, include Comfort television, in which viewers repeatedly engage with familiar content for relaxation or emotional regulation. However, such an effect proves to be dependent on individual self-control. Ego-depleted individuals (i.e., individuals presenting lower available cognitive resources to exert self-control) demonstrate tendencies to negatively evaluate entertainment use as a procrastination form, which may elicit feelings of guilt and negatively impact stress recovery and well-being. Therein, the results of mood-regulation through content binging is dictated through individual self-control.
== Effects on sleep == A 2017 study linked binge-watching to a poorer sleep quality, increased insomnia and fatigue. In fact, binge-watching could lead to an increased cognitive alertness, therefore impacting sleep. The results showed that 98 percent of binge-watchers were more likely to have poor sleep quality, were more alert before sleep and reported more fatigue. Authors also emphasize that findings have been inconsistent in sleep research regarding the negative associations between sleep and television viewing, and that it should be distinguished from binge-watching. Consuming television content at 'binge' levels has been found to create a negative effect on sleep cycles as a whole. Binge-watching may create feelings of regret, which may extending into the early hours of the morning, impacting on sleep and the day ahead. Additionally, individuals displaying binge-watching tendencies are more likely to suffer from insomnia, poorer sleep quality and sleep deprivation.
== Personality traits == A study from 2019 found that there were four profiles that binge-watchers fit into. The first is avid binge-watchers, who have high motivation for watching TV, but also have a strong sense of urgency and emotional reactions. The second is recreational binge-watchers, who have the least motivation and do not spend as much time watching TV. The third profile is, unregulated binge-watchers, who have the highest motivation to watch TV, which is driven by their coping mechanisms. Studies show they also "display the highest impulsivity among the binge-watchers of all types. The last profile is, regulated binge-watchers, who also are motivated by emotional enrichment, they don't react as emotionally, and aren't impulsive people. An other study from 2020 outlines the type of people who are most likely to partake in binge-watching. "[They] are more neurotic, less agreeable, less conscientious, and less open to new experience." They also found that people who binge-watch often are more likely feel sad, anxious, stress and have low self-esteem. The study also finds that people who binge-watch often use "avoidance and emotional coping, instead of task-oriented coping."
== Risks == Studies have shown that prolonged binge-watching can lead to addictive characteristics. The type of instant gratification that it produces can be similar to that of gambling or computer/social media addiction. People who binge-watch regularly usually use it as an escape from reality and to take away from loneliness or boredom. Another study found correlations between binge-watching and procrastinating. Both of these come with warning signs such as, "loss of self-control, urgency, regret, neglect of duties, negative social and health consequences, lying, or even symptoms of withdrawal such as anxiety, nervousness, rage, and concentration difficulties." To the distributor, releasing a full season of episodes en masse to encourage binge-watching raises the risk of a phenomenon where a casual viewer will subscribe to the service, binge-watch the show they want to see, then cancel their subscription. In an effort to retain subscribers longer-term, Netflix in 2024 began splitting the seasons of its marquee original series in half, while rival streaming services had long been moving toward a model more closely resembling the traditional television model of one new episode a week.
== Effects on advertising ==