Binge-watching: An empirical study of the trigger factors from an economic perspective

This research addresses the motivations driving young adults' binge-watching behavior within the economic theoretical framework. As platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime become prevalent among youth, one viewing behavior known as “Binge-watching” emerges. Existing research in the relevant field is focused on the media use aspects by adopting Use and Gratifications theory. Following previous research on the economic theory of binge-watching developed by Gaenssle & Kunz-Kaltenhaeuser (2020), this study aims to fill gaps in empirical evidence by examining the triggers enticing young adults to binge-watch. The main research question identifies factors motivating increased binge-watching among young adults. The study outlines research objectives, hypotheses, methods, interpretation of results, discussion, and limitations of the research and conclusion. Hypotheses are derived from economic perspectives, including serialized content, sense of self-administration, short time intervals for reconsideration, and the flat-rate pricing models' influence on binge-watching likelihood. Additionally, the research investigates the economic perspective on gratifications sought — the utility perceived from social engagement, entertainment, stress relief, escapism, and combating boredom—as potential influencers of binge-watching behaviors. Employing a quantitative research method, data collection will involve an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis will use regression models via R-studio, correlating various factors with binge-watching likelihood. The findings indicate that supply-side, serial content, and consumer-side factors, like social interaction and stress relief, are crucial drivers of binge-watching behavior. The sense of administration and flat rate pricing are potentially driving the likelihood of binge-watching. In contrast, entertainment, escape reality, and boredom do not significantly impact binge-watching behavior. The insights of this study have practical implications for the video-on-demand industry, offering valuable guidance to both the platforms and content creators on how platforms can refine their business models and strategies to increase user engagement and expand their revenue streams. The study also appears to have several limitations on both the sample and model aspects. The insignificant factors may be due to the lack of variance of the samples, suggesting a broader population should be obtained for further study on motivations of binge-watching. Future research should adopt qualitative methods to explore additional predictors of binge-watching, providing a deeper understanding of economic and social factors that quantitative methods might neglect.