Determining factors of university students' binge-watching attitudes

Abstract

Binge-watching (BW), defined as watching multiple episodes of a series or program in a single sitting, is recognized as a new and widespread form of viewing, especially with online streaming services. This study investigates the factors determining university students' binge-watching attitudes and the relationship of these factors with demographic characteristics. Data were collected using a survey adapted from the ''Watching TV Series Motives Questionnaire (WTSMQ)'' and the ''Binge-Watching Engagement and Symptoms Questionnaire (BWESQ)'' developed by Flayelle and colleagues (2019). The survey was conducted online with the participation of 636 university students to evaluate participants' motivations for watching internet series, their BW attitudes, and the relationship of these behaviors with demographic factors such as age, gender, and education level. The results demonstrate that students' BW behavior is strongly associated with positive motivations such as ease of access, entertainment, and social interaction. Specifically, a significant positive correlation between entertainment motivation and BW behavior was found (r = .240, p > .01). Additionally, it was determined that female students exhibit significantly higher BW behavior compared to male students, and BW attitudes/behaviors decrease with increasing age and education level. Participants who have never worked show more BW behavior compared to those who have worked or are currently working.

Keywords

• Binge-watching
• Watching motivations
• Video on demand
• Digital video platforms
• Serials