How short-form video features influence addiction behavior? Empirical research from the opponent process theory perspective

Abstract

PurposeConsidering the popularity and addictive attributes of short-form videos, this study aims to determine mechanisms by which short-form video features affect addiction.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducts empirical research using data collected from 382 Chinese TikTok users. Based on the stimulus–organism–response framework, the research model was constructed from the opponent process theory (OPT) perspective through features and emotional elements.FindingsThe results show that short-form video features influence addiction by activating users' perceived enjoyment and feeling of withdrawal. Based on the positive and negative reinforcement of the OPT, users must repeatedly interact with short-form videos to maintain positive emotions or reduce negative emotions. Eventually, this practice will lead to addiction. Additionally, users' procrastination moderates the relationship between feeling of withdrawal and addiction.Originality/valueThis study discussed how features influence addiction through opponent emotions on short-form video from the OPT perspective, enriching scholars' research on social media addiction. Furthermore, this study examined the moderating effects of procrastination and identifies unique features of short-form videos.

Drivers and Consequences of Short-Form Video (SFV) Addiction amongst Adolescents in China: Stress-Coping Theory Perspective

“…First, our study introduced stress-coping theory into the SFV addiction context. Prior research has applied the opponent process theory [ 5 ], life history theory [ 69 ], and a combination of the attachment theory with a socio-technical approach [ 2 ] to study SFV addiction, but it has seldom considered how stress impacts SFV addiction. This study is one of the first to explain adolescents’ SFV addiction from stress-coping perspective, thereby enriching research in the field of SFV addiction.…”

“…A total of 18 (7.4%) adolescents watched SFVs for four to six hours, and 9 (3.7%) of them even watched for more than six hours per day. According to [ 2 , 5 ], using SFV apps for more than 1 h per day was a certain level of SFV addiction. Our survey results indicated that most adolescents were actually addicted to SFVs.…”

“…One hedonic-technology-usage-related problem that merits research is technology addiction [ 3 ]. For example, TikTok has 486 million monthly active users, and approximately 22 percent watch videos for more than 1 h per day [ 4 , 5 ]. This is especially true for adolescents due to their immature self-control abilities, along with the pursuit of psychological needs [ 6 ].…”

A techno-psychological approach to understanding problematic use of short-form video applications: The role of flow

“…Last but not least, our proposed model not only corroborates the S-O-R framework but also enriches it in the digital environment. Furthermore, compared with prior research that used the S-O-R framework to examine how short-form videos' technological characteristics might facilitate users to develop SVA addiction (Tian et al, 2022), our study specifies and refines the technological affordances of SVAs and highlights the role of flow between these affordances and problematic SVA use. These findings suggest that the S-O-R framework and the techno-psychological approach are consistent with each other in explicating problematic use of SVAs and other digital applications.…”

“…Likewise, users' perception of mobile travel applications' design and performance affected their psychological engagement and benefit perception of the applications, which then drove their behavioral engagement with mobile travel applications (Fang et al, 2017 ). Moreover, the technological features of SVAs—such as immersion, socialization, and control—induce addictive usage by activating users' perceived enjoyment and feeling of withdrawal (Tian et al, 2022 ).…”