On binge-watching: Nine critical propositions

Horeck, Tanya; Jenner, Mareike; Kendall, Tina

doi:10.1177/1749602018796754

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Low levels of attention and immersion seemed to have also discouraged participants from using the term 'binge-watching' when describing a viewing session. However, people may have differing personal definitions (Jenner, 2016) according to factors such as age, occupation, family situation (Horeck et al, 2018), the genre of the program and episodes' length, and the viewing and production culture they are part of. Definitions that are susceptible to change with the evolution of their own habits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The binge-watcher’s journey: Investigating motivations, contexts, and affective states surrounding Netflix viewing

Castro

Rigby

Cabral

et al. 2019

Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Med

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The growth of Internet-distributed TV services has transformed video consumption, enhancing the level of control that viewers have over what they watch. Along with the release of entire seasons of programming at once, this has led to the phenomenon of ‘binge-watching’, in which several episodes of a program are viewed in one sitting. This article presents the results of a novel exploratory study focused on 40 Netflix viewing sessions from 11 millennials in their homes. Methodologically, we employed a novel mixed-methods approach that combines objective data (collected through a browser extension) and subjective data (collected via questionnaires completed before and after viewing). This novel approach allowed us to describe the binge-watcher’s experience in a holistic fashion. Results suggest that binge-watching is an individual activity mainly performed at the end of the day to relax, for boredom relief purposes, or for escapism. Furthermore, a binge-watching session lasts for an average of 2 h and 10 min, and variations on binge-watchers’ affective states were identified after Netflix exposure. Participants’ levels of valence (unhappy–happy) significantly decreased after binge-watching; their positive affect values increased primarily after watching sci-fi, while their negative affect values decreased after watching comedy and slightly increased after watching drama. However, the levels of arousal (relaxed–stimulated) remained the same. This study extends our current understanding of binge-watching in terms of viewer motivations, how it affects their viewing experiences, and participants’ subjective affective states. The investigation contributes, thus, to a relatively new domain of research concerned with the understanding of binge-watching behavior of serialized TV fiction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The binge-watcher’s journey: Investigating motivations, contexts, and affective states surrounding Netflix viewing

Castro

Rigby

Cabral

et al. 2019

Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As for our first goal, we maintained that viewer autonomy and continuity present two necessary and sufficient attributes for defining BW. Given these, we ruled out appointment viewing in all its different forms (SEAs and MAs) and located BW in self-scheduled television (e.g., box sets, online television; see also Horeck et al 2018; Jenner 2017). In addition, we distinguished BW from CV (i.e., self-scheduled single-episode sessions).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 1. We take that BW “only happens in relation to serialized formats as opposed to films or one-offs” (Horeck et al 2018, 499). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Binge-watching Serialized Video Content: A Transdisciplinary Review

Merikivi

Bragge

Scornavacca

et al. 2019

Television & New Media

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Binge watching serialized video content is a phenomenon that has triggered interest from diverse research fields. Despite the progress researchers have made across different areas, a grounded conceptualization and definition of binge watching is still lacking. In this article, we conduct a transdisciplinary literature review to identify continuity and viewer autonomy as the two fundamental attributes underlying binge watching. Then, using these attributes as conceptual anchors, we offer a convergent definition and categorize the existing binge-watching definitions in the literature. The results of this categorization reveal that the vast majority of the definitions used in the literature fail to distinguish binge watching from other viewing practices such as casual viewing, single-episode appointments, and marathon appointments. We discuss the implications and, to move the binge-watching research forward, conclude with recommendations and an agenda for future research.

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“…Binge-watching itself can be seen as part of a long tradition of television technology (VCRs, DVD players, TiVo©, etc.) which has promised more agency to viewers (Horeck et al, 2018), adding a complex layer of motivations and gratifications to this historical trend. The technological affordances from high-speed Internet and streaming platforms create complex viewer experiences that were not possible for predigital audiences, and which complicate how television consumption is understood and practiced.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mixed outcomes of their research reflect binge-watching’s complexity: It has been linked to loneliness (Firger, 2015) and social bonding (Medina, 2017), addiction (Hsu, 2014) and empowerment (Perks, 2015), ambivalence (Steiner, 2017), and relaxation (Pittman and Sheehan, 2015). While viewers differentiate their experiences by content (prestige dramas vs. reality shows), motive (narrative engagement vs. relaxation), and attention (highly focused vs. multitasking), scholars have mostly focused on binge-watching in general (Castro et al, 2019; Hills, 2018; Horeck et al, 2018; Steiner and Xu, 2018). Given the popularity and complexity of streaming video consumption, we contend that discussing binge-watching as a singular activity is less productive than attempting to identify and analyze its distinguishable subtypes.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing feast-watching from cringe-watching: Planned, social, and attentive binge-watching predicts increased well-being and decreased regret

Pittman

Steiner

2021

Convergence

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This study seeks to add nuance to the definition of binge-watching by identifying the subtypes of the general practice that reflect viewer rituals, motives, and outcomes. The two subtypes are (1) the healthy practice of ‘feast-watching’ and (2) the unhealthy practice of ‘cringe-watching’. While binge-watching as a singular behavior has been associated with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, a survey ( N = 800) finds that binge-watching which is solo, accidental, and distracted (cringe-watching) predicts increased regret and decreased well-being. However, binge-watching that is planned, social, and attentive (feast-watching) predicts positive outcomes. These subtypes add much needed organizational clarity to the discussion of binge-watching, which, due to its popularity, has grown into a catchall for extended video consumption.

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On binge-watching: Nine critical propositions

Cited by 20 publications

References 5 publications

The binge-watcher’s journey: Investigating motivations, contexts, and affective states surrounding Netflix viewing

The binge-watcher’s journey: Investigating motivations, contexts, and affective states surrounding Netflix viewing

Binge-watching Serialized Video Content: A Transdisciplinary Review

Distinguishing feast-watching from cringe-watching: Planned, social, and attentive binge-watching predicts increased well-being and decreased regret

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