The Science Behind Binge Watching
Did you know there was once a time where people would actually wait a week for a new episode of
their favorite TV show? Now, people can easily resolve a cliffhanger by simply clicking the “play next”
button. Watching many episodes of your favorite shows is called binge-watching. It’s fun, addicting,
and forces you to pull an all-nighter every other day.
their favorite TV show? Now, people can easily resolve a cliffhanger by simply clicking the “play next”
button. Watching many episodes of your favorite shows is called binge-watching. It’s fun, addicting,
and forces you to pull an all-nighter every other day.
But what’s the psychology behind this behavior?
There are various reasons on why we binge-watch. One reason is because we see watching television
as a task. It’s something we need to do every day, which is why we make a habit out of doing it.
Finishing tasks also helps increase dopamine levels, the “happy” chemical released by your brain. You
also release dopamine when eating your favorite foods or doing something you love. Since dopamine
makes you glad, the brain wants more episodes to have the same feeling again. This is why we go for
the next episode without thinking about it twice.
as a task. It’s something we need to do every day, which is why we make a habit out of doing it.
Finishing tasks also helps increase dopamine levels, the “happy” chemical released by your brain. You
also release dopamine when eating your favorite foods or doing something you love. Since dopamine
makes you glad, the brain wants more episodes to have the same feeling again. This is why we go for
the next episode without thinking about it twice.
But is binge-watching a good or bad thing?
On one hand, you get more dopamine, as well as other chemicals. A recent study on binge-watching
reported that after their participants watched a few episodes of a TV show, they had more cortisol (a
stress chemical) and oxytocin (a hormone associated with human connection and caring) in their
system. In other words, the episodes made the participants more empathetic. After the experiment, the
participants were given an opportunity to donate to a lab, as well as to a charity for sick children.
Because of the increased levels of cortisol and oxytocin, the participants who binge-watched donated,
when they originally may not have done so.
reported that after their participants watched a few episodes of a TV show, they had more cortisol (a
stress chemical) and oxytocin (a hormone associated with human connection and caring) in their
system. In other words, the episodes made the participants more empathetic. After the experiment, the
participants were given an opportunity to donate to a lab, as well as to a charity for sick children.
Because of the increased levels of cortisol and oxytocin, the participants who binge-watched donated,
when they originally may not have done so.
On the other hand, binge-watching hurts both your brain and your body. Staying up all night throws off
your sleep schedule, which can greatly affect how you function throughout the day. Watching shows
with a curved back only leads to back pain, bad posture, and cramped muscles. Not to mention too
much screen time can badly affect your eyesight.
your sleep schedule, which can greatly affect how you function throughout the day. Watching shows
with a curved back only leads to back pain, bad posture, and cramped muscles. Not to mention too
much screen time can badly affect your eyesight.
Now the next time you binge-watch, you’ll know what’s really going through your mind as you do so.
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