Why People Keep Watching: The Neurophysiology of Video Consumption and Influence

Social media and streaming services provide a nearly infinite set of entertainment choices. This large choice set makes the option to switch to alternative content or stop consuming content altogether compelling. Yet, nearly all studies of the attributes of content and their ability to influence behavior require that participants view stimuli in their entirety. The present study adds ecological validity to studies of video consumption and influence by measuring neurophysiologic responses while enabling participants to stop viewing content at any time. Participants earned money for watching any part of a video and then had the option to donate money they had earned to charity. A neurophysiologic measure we derived predicted how long participants would watch a video. VIdeo viewing time increased the likelihood of influence on donations. The analysis indicates that the neurologic value one receives from consuming content helps explain why people continue to watch videos and can be influenced by them.