An Experimental Examination of Binge Watching and Narrative Engagement

Sarah E. Erickson, Sonya Dal Cin and Hannah Byl
Additional contact information
Sarah E. Erickson: Department of Communication, Trinity University, 1 Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
Sonya Dal Cin: Department of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, North Quadrangle, 105 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285, USA
Hannah Byl: Department of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, North Quadrangle, 105 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285, USA

Social Sciences, 2019, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Increasingly, audiences are engaging with media narratives through the practice of binge watching. The effects of binge watching are largely unknown, although early research suggests binge watching may be motivated by a need for escape and could be associated with some qualities of addiction. In this study, we ask whether the practice of binge watching impacts audience engagement with a media narrative. Using an experimental approach, we manipulate the format of exposure to media narratives (binge or nonbinge) and test the effect of this manipulation on audience engagement, specifically parasocial relationships with favorite characters and narrative transportation. Results suggest that binge watching increases the strength of parasocial relationships and the intensity of narrative transportation. Media engagement has been shown to increase media effects, suggesting that binge watching could change not only how audiences engage with narrative media but also the effect it has on them.

Keywords: binge watching; narrative transportation; parasocial relationships; media engagement; narrative engagement; streaming television (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/1/19/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/1/19/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:1:p:19-:d:196848

Access Statistics for this article

Social Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Yvonne Chu

More articles in Social Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().