Understanding the drivers of binge-watching continuous intention and behavior

Abstract

Binge-watching is a relatively recent form of media consumption that consists on watching several episodes of the same show in just one sitting. This new way of consuming content was enhanced by the development of the ICTs and the appearance of VOD (Video On-Demand) and Streaming Platforms such as Netflix, that allowed the consumer to watch the content he or she wants whenever he or she wants. Binge-watching is becoming a widely common phenomenon among people nowadays, having not only a big impact on people’s individual lives but also in society as whole. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the drivers of binge-watching continuous intention and use behavior. In the present study, a survey with 225 respondents was conducted to evaluate an innovative model that builds upon well-known information systems theories as TAM and UTAUT, as well as other specific constructs related to the phenomenon of study. Perceived Usefulness and Habit were found to be the strongest predictors of the continuous intention to binge-watch, and Regret was found to negatively influence it. Regarding the actual binge-watching behavior, habit turned out to be a stronger predictor of the behavior than the intention itself.