Research has highlighted the potential negative consequences of binge-watching, which has become increasingly common due to the widespread availability of streaming platforms and digital technologies. Studies have linked binge-watching to various physical and mental health issues, such as reduced social interaction, poor sleep quality, increased sedentary lifestyle, and weight gain.
Gabbiadini, A., Baldissarri, C., Valtorta, R. R., Durante, F., & Mari, S. (2021). Loneliness, escapism, and identification with media characters: An exploration of the psychological factors underlying binge-watching tendency. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 785970. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.785970
Key Points
- Loneliness is associated with higher levels of problematic use of digital technologies, with escapism being a significant predictor of binge-watching tendencies through the mediating effect of identification with media characters.
- Binge-watching may be a coping strategy for lonely individuals to escape reality and connect with fictional characters.
- The research has limitations, such as its correlational design preventing causal conclusions.
- Understanding the psychological factors behind binge-watching is increasingly relevant as streaming services grow in popularity.
Rationale
Previous research has established links between loneliness, problematic digital technology use, and unhealthy coping mechanisms (Tokunaga & Rains, 2010; Nowland et al., 2018; Moretta & Buodo, 2020).
The rise of streaming services has made binge-watching TV series increasingly common, raising concerns about its negative outcomes (De Feijter et al., 2016; Exelmans & Van den Bulck, 2017; Spruance et al., 2017). However, the specific psychological mechanisms driving binge-watching behavior remain underexplored.
Building on evidence that lonely individuals tend to identify more with media characters (Greenwood & Long, 2009) and that escapism motives predict problematic behaviors (Masur et al., 2014; Starosta & Izydorczyk, 2020), the present study examines how loneliness may lead to binge-watching through the desire to escape reality and identify with fictional characters.
Investigating these factors can provide insights into why people engage in maladaptive binge-watching and inform strategies to mitigate its negative effects as streaming continues to grow.
Method
Cross-sectional online survey:
Procedure: Participants completed demographic questions, estimated typical media usage, and filled out scales assessing loneliness, problematic internet use, identification with TV characters, and binge-watching tendencies.
Sample: 196 TV series viewers (77 males, 119 females), mainly from the UK, aged 18-60 (M=33.76).
Measures
- UCLA Loneliness Scale (feelings of loneliness and social isolation)
- Internet Disorder Scale-15 (problematic internet use in 4 domains)
- Adapted Identification with Characters Scale (identification with TV characters)
- “Binge-Watching Engagement and Symptoms” subscale (binge-watching tendency)
Statistical measures: Correlations, multiple regression, mediation analysis using PROCESS macro.
Results
The study’s findings support the hypothesis that escapism plays a crucial role in the relationship between loneliness and binge-watching.
The results indicate that lonely individuals tend to use binge-watching as a coping mechanism, as they seek to escape from their unpleasant feelings by immersing themselves in the lives of fictional characters.
Moreover, the study found that the more viewers identify with the characters in a TV series, the more likely they are to engage in binge-watching behavior. This suggests that the emotional connection and perceived similarity to the characters can fuel the desire to continue watching episode after episode.
Although the model explains a significant portion of the variance in binge-watching scores, it is important to note that other factors not examined in this study may also contribute to this behavior.
Further research is needed to explore additional psychological, social, and contextual variables that may influence binge-watching tendencies.
Insight
The findings suggest lonely individuals may binge-watch TV series as a way to escape unpleasant feelings and emotionally connect with on-screen characters.
This identification process, driven by the desire to escape reality, appears to promote binge-watching behavior.
The study extends prior work by directly testing psychological mechanisms underlying problematic binge-watching.
Future research could examine how individual differences (e.g., need for cognition/affect) moderate these relationships and track binge-watching patterns over time.
Strengths
- Large sample size
- Well-validated measures
- Testing of rival mediators
Limitations
Cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions
Sample mainly from the UK
Binge-watching is operationalized as a general tendency vs. discrete behavior
Clinical Implications
The results highlight psychological factors that may put lonely individuals at risk for maladaptive binge-watching as an unhealthy coping strategy.
Clinicians could assess these underlying vulnerabilities when clients present with excessive binge-watching. Streaming platforms might design content and features to facilitate healthier viewing patterns.
However, the generalizability of the findings to non-UK populations and the long-term impacts require further study.
References
Primary reference
Gabbiadini, A., Baldissarri, C., Valtorta, R. R., Durante, F., & Mari, S. (2021). Loneliness, escapism, and identification with media characters: An exploration of the psychological factors underlying binge-watching tendency. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 785970. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.785970
Other references
De Feijter, D., Khan, V. J., & van Gisbergen, M. (2016). Confessions of a ‘guilty’ couch potato: Understanding and using context to optimize binge-watching behavior. Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Experiences for TV and Online Video, 59-67.
Exelmans, L., & Van den Bulck, J. (2017). Binge viewing, sleep, and the role of pre-sleep arousal. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(8), 1001-1008.
Greenwood, D. N., & Long, C. R. (2009). Psychological predictors of media involvement: Solitude experiences and the need to belong. Communication Research, 36(5), 637-654.
Masur, P. K., Reinecke, L., Ziegele, M., & Quiring, O. (2014). The interplay of intrinsic need satisfaction and Facebook specific motives in explaining addictive behavior on Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 39, 376-386.
Moretta, T., & Buodo, G. (2020). Problematic internet use and loneliness: How complex is the relationship? A short literature review. Current Addiction Reports, 7, 125-136.
Nowland, R., Necka, E. A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2018). Loneliness and social internet use: Pathways to reconnection in a digital world? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(1), 70-87.
Spruance, L. A., Karmakar, M., Kruger, J. S., & Vaterlaus, J. M. (2017). “Are you still watching?”: Correlations between binge TV watching, diet and physical activity. Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss, 1–8
Starosta, J. A., & Izydorczyk, B. (2020). Understanding the phenomenon of binge-watching—A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4469.
Tokunaga, R. S., & Rains, S. A. (2010). An evaluation of two characterizations of the relationships between problematic internet use, time spent using the internet, and psychosocial problems. Human Communication Research, 36(4), 512-545.
Keep Learning
- How might cultural factors influence the relationships between loneliness, escapism, and binge-watching?
- What are some healthier coping strategies lonely individuals could use instead of escapist binge-watching?
- Should streaming services take more responsibility in preventing problematic binge-watching? What steps could they take?
- How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected binge-watching behaviors and its psychological correlates?
