The Effect of Personalized Content in Media Entertainment on Engagement with the Domain

Byung Cheol Lee and Gita V Johar

Journal of Consumer Research, 2026, vol. 52, issue 5, 892-913

Abstract: From Netflix to Spotify to TikTok, consumers’ entertainment experiences increasingly revolve around personalized content. Does consuming personalized content in a specific entertainment domain influence the likelihood of consumers discussing that domain overall, beyond the specific content they engage with? Across eleven experiments, we investigate the impact of personalized content in the music and short-form video domains (i.e., content that feels tailored to one’s tastes) on the intent to discuss domain-related topics. We find that the impact of consuming personalized content (vs. other types of content or no content) on discussion intent varies depending on the strength of an individual’s identification with the domain. For weak identifiers, personalized content increases discussion intent, whereas for strong identifiers, it decreases intent. Process evidence highlights two underlying psychological forces: enhanced enjoyment of the domain and diminished confidence in domain knowledge. Personalized content increases discussion intent for weak identifiers—users whose intent is likely driven by high enjoyment. In contrast, personalized content decreases discussion intent for strong identifiers—users whose intent is likely driven by low confidence.

Keywords: media and entertainment; recommender systems; content personalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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