I hate binge-watching but I can't help doing it: The moderating effect of immediate gratification and need for cognition on binge-watching attitude-behavior relation

Abstract

Binge-watching is becoming a new "norm" for viewers in the way they consume their favorite TV shows and movies, nevertheless, most scholarly research on binge-watching remains exploratory. This study investigated (1) the relationship between attitudes toward binge-watching and the extent of binge-watching and (2) the role of viewers' personality traits (i.e., immediate gratification [IG] and needs for cognition [NFC]) on this association. The results from the analysis of the survey data (N = 714) illustrated that there was a positive association between viewers' negative attitudes and the extent of their binge-watching, showing a signature indicator of attitude-discrepant behaviors. Furthermore, a significant interaction effect of a negative attitude toward binge-watching and IG on binge-watching behavior was found. High-IG respondents with a negative attitude toward binge-watching were more likely to binge-watch than their low-IG counterparts, marked by a greater negative attitude toward binge-watching as a guilty pleasure.