Let’s talk series: Binge-watching vs. marathon. The duality in the consumption of episodes from the Grounded Theory

 Eva Martínez-Serrano, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

 Diana Gavilan, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

 Gema Martínez-Navarro, Madrid (Spain)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C75-2023-06

Keywords

Binge-watching, series, Netflix, video streaming, Grounded Theory, content consumption

Abstract

Binge-watching refers to the consecutive viewing of episodes of a fictional series, usually of the drama genre, in a single session. The approaches to its background, practice, and effects are diverse and controversial. Using a qualitative-exploratory approach analysed with Grounded Theory, this paper studies the experience of binge-watching users from data collected from a sample of 20 individuals combined with techniques such as group meetings, in-depth interviews and projective techniques. Results lead to the identification of two underlying patterns of behaviour associated with the consumption of dramatic content: planned binge-watching and unplanned binge-watching. Planned binge-watching is the intentional consumption of more than two consecutive episodes of a fictional series whose psychological effects are mainly gratification based on evasion. Planned series consumption has a socializing effect, especially among young people. Unplanned binge-watching is the unintentional and spontaneous chained viewing of more than two episodes of a fiction series. The viewing unit is each individual episode, linked to the next by the curiosity aroused by the plot. The psychological effects are gratification derived from evasion, followed by a feeling of guilt derived from the loss of control. The study concludes with the formulation of seven hypotheses for empirical verification, academic and professional implications, and future lines of research.

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Fundref

Article 83 project “Marketing and Digital Economy” financed by contract 4157762, Ref. 548-2019 (A-2020) (B-2020) of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).

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Technical information

Received: 22-06-2022

Revised: 23-07-2022

Accepted: 29-11-2022

OnlineFirst: 30-01-2023

Publication date: 01-04-2023

Article revision time: 31 days | Average time revision issue 75: 32 days

Article acceptance time: 160 days | Average time of acceptance issue 75: 93 days

Preprint editing time: 238 days | Average editing time preprint issue 75: 171 days

Article editing time: 283 days | Average editing time issue 75: 216 days

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