A recent psychological study has revealed that individuals could potentially experience boredom and decreased satisfaction when viewing short digital media clips such as YouTube Shorts and TikTok videos.
The participants in the scientific study were asked to either watch short videos in succession or fast-forward through content, in addition to watching one video for a duration of 10 minutes. The study revealed that those who watched longer content reported feeling more satisfied, immersed, and less bored.
The University of Toronto Scarborough’s Department of Psychology conducted a study titled “Fast-Forward to Boredom: How Switching Behavior on Digital Media Increases Boredom”with over 1,000 participants. The study consisted of seven different variations of experiments.
The study concluded that in today’s digital era, where videos are a significant form of entertainment, the key to enjoyment lies in immersing oneself in the videos rather than simply swiping through them.
According to Katy Y. Y. Tam, the lead author of the study, the act of “digital switching,”which refers to scrolling or skipping forward in videos to combat boredom, can hinder one’s ability to fully comprehend and engage with content. This was stated in an American Psychological Association news release.
According to Tam, individuals can enhance their video-watching experience by concentrating on the content and limiting their use of digital devices.
Similar to the concept of paying for a more immersive experience at a movie theater, watching online videos can be more enjoyable when one fully immerses themselves in the content rather than simply scrolling through them.
The study does not extensively explore the correlation between short attention spans and the phenomenon of digital switching, another highly debated topic surrounding social media and short-form video content. Instead, it places greater emphasis on the increasing prevalence of boredom among younger generations.
Despite the rise of short-form vertical video on social media platforms, longform content continues to maintain a high level of consumption. This is evident through the millions of views that hours-long YouTube videos receive. Additionally, platforms like YouTube and Twitch have also started to incorporate short-form videos, following the trend popularized by TikTok.
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