Relationship between binge watching and cognitive functioning among university students in Lahore, Pakistan - Rawal Medical Journal
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Original Article
Relationship between binge watching and cognitive functioning
among university students in Lahore, Pakistan
Uzma Ilyas, Aisha Sitwat Qureshi
Centre for Clinical Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Objective: To explore the trends of executive binge-watching (number of episodes) negatively
functioning (attention shifting, working memory, correlates with the subscales of executive
task inhibition and others) and its relationship with functioning such as response inhibition, working
binge watching among university students. memory, emotional control, task inhibition,
Methodology: This correlational research was sustained attention, planning, organization, time
carried out in private and public universities of management, flexibility, metacognition, goal
Lahore from January to November 2019. A total of directed and stress tolerance. There was significant
400 students filled questionnaires to assess binge but negative relationship between subscales of
watching motivation and executive functioning. binge watching and executive functioning.
The final forms sorted for analysis comprised of Conclusion: The subscales of binge watching
376 adults from different universities. The age including engagement, relaxation, pass time,
range of the sample was 20-24 years. The hedonism, companion and social had inverse
respondents were approached through purposive relationship with subscales of Executive
sampling to assess relationship of binge watching Functioning. Findings of the present study can
and executive functioning. The standardized prove helpful for future researchers to focus on
scales of Binge Watching Motivation Scale (BWM) several repercussions of screen time and binging
and the Executive Functioning Questionnaire watching on psychological and neurological
were used for current research. function of brain. (Rawal Med J 202;45:702-706).
Results: Findings of Pearson Product Moment Keywords: Binge watching, executive
Correlation showed that the amount of time spent functioning, sustained attention.
INTRODUCTION watching successive episodes of a series or season in
6
The personal possession of laptops, mobiles and a setting.
tablets have made watching television convenient The longitudinal researches on adults identified
than ever. It is easy to watch an episode of a inactive lifestyles had adverse effects on health
television show, season or movie as per time along with that high levels of television
availability and mood. Watching multiple episodes consumption during early adulthood is associated
in one setting has become a norm. Binge watching is worse cognitive functioning including poorer
a present-day phenomenon, ripe for investigation executive control along with slower processing
and gaining immense popularity lately. Annalect speed in midlife.7 Executive functions (EF) are
defined binge watching as "watching of same show, important to adults daily lives. While defined in
different in a sitting of three hours, or longer".1 many ways, the most common definition of EF is a
Pittman and Sheehan illustrated binge watching as number of cognitive capabilities that work in a
"watching of more than two episodes of the same coordinated manner to assist people in the
2
show in a single sitting". Binge watching refers to purposeful, and structured processing of
watching a series or a season of a single program/ experiences, feelings, thoughts and actions.8 It may
3
Netflix in one sitting for several consecutive hours. be more appropriate to characterize EF as "the
The Oxford definition of binge watching describes it conductor and the conductor" of the orchestra of our
as watching numerous episodes of television series perceptions, feelings, thoughts and actions.9
5
in rapid succession. Binge watching, according to Executive functions constitute of complex cognitive
the most agreed upon conceptualiza-tion, is processes that are essential for decision making, such
702 Rawal Medical Journal: Vol. 45. No. 3, July-Sept. 2020Relationship between binge watching and cognitive functioning among university students
as the development and implementation of goal- inhibition, working memory, emotional control,
directed behaviors, the maintenance of attention and task initiation, sustained attention, planning/
behavior, the monitoring of progress and the flexible prioritization, organization, time management,
modification of behavior in response to changing flexibility, met-cognition, goal directed persistence,
10
demands. Binge watching leads not only to stress tolerance, each consisting of three items.
anticipated regret but also inhibits the undermining Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed for
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of targets is an outcome of binge-watching. In the reliability statistics using Cronbach's alpha
context of binge-watching, it is often believed that technique using SPSS version 22. The assumptions
binge watching reflects an unhealthy division of time of normality were analyzed using Q-Q plots for
in leisure and responsibilities.12 All other duties, tasks normality. The relationship among scales and
and social connections, such as washing and subscales of binge watching and executive
dressing, have been abandoned during binge- functioning was computed through Pearson Product
13
watching Physiological studies suggest that Moment Correlation.
inactive habits such as staying in door, engaged in
activities required lesser physical activity such as RESULTS
watching television affect metabolic function in an Out of 376 students, 34.6% were 21 years old and
aversive manner by increasing blood pressure as well 59.8% of students were day scholars. Female
as lipid and glucose levels.14 students were 76% and 54% students got 5 to 6
Online streaming and binge watching is a new hours for sleeping (Table 1). All subscales of binge
behavioral phenomena. Previous literature on binge watching motivation had moderate reliability. Some
watching focused on its frequency along with effect of the subscales of EF had low reliability. Total
of this sedentary behavior on physical health the binge watching motivation and total EF had good
correlation of physical activity and sedentary reliability (Table 2).
activities with cognitive function may also be
bidirectional.15 The aim of this study was to explore Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the participants
(N=376).
the relationship of consecutive watching/streaming
behavior on cognitive and executive abilities among
Pakistani students.
METHODOLOGY
This study was carried out in private and public
universities of Lahore from January to November
2019. The sample of 376 students was selected using
non-probability purposive sampling technique.
Demographic form, Binge TV watching motivation
16
scale and executive skills questionnaire for adults
were used.17
Binge TV watching motivation scale consisted of 25
items which has been further divided into 6
subscales including: engagement, relaxation, pass
time, hedonism, companion and social comprising
of 6 items, 5 items, 6 items, 3 items, 2 items and 3
items respectively. All items have been measured on
7 points Likert scale ranging from strongly agrees to
strongly disagree. The executive skills
questionnaire consisted of 36 items in total with
further division of 12 variables including: response
703 Rawal Medical Journal: Vol. 45. No. 3, July-Sept. 2020Relationship between binge watching and cognitive functioning among university students
Table 2. Psychometrics properties of binge watching The correlation analysis for binge watching
motivation and executive functioning (N=376) motivation and executive functioning revealed a
significant positive relationship with their
subscales. The significant negative relationship was
found between subscales of binge watching
motivation and executive functioning (response
inhibition, working memory, emotional control,
task inhibition, sustained attention, planning,
organization, time management, flexibility,
metacognition, goal directed and stress tolerance)
showing in (Table 3).
DISCUSSION
The findings of the research showed that binge
watching negatively correlated with EF. A previous
research concluded that heavy media users are more
vulnerable to interference while performing on
educational activities and this habit serve as a
distraction with detrimental effects on students'
performance.18 Another study showed that binge
watching is a common media practice amongst
704 Rawal Medical Journal: Vol. 45. No. 3, July-Sept. 2020Relationship between binge watching and cognitive functioning among university students
university students.19 There is a negative correlation 2. Merrill Jr K, Rubenking B. Go Long or Go Often:
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CONCLUSION 11. Walton-Pattison E, Dombrowski SU, Presseau J. 'Just
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Author Contributions: binge watching on memory and perceived
Conception and design: Uzma Ilyas c o m p r e h e n s i o n . F i r s t M o n d a y. 2 0 1 7 ; 2 2 ( 9 ) .
Collection and assembly of data: Uzma Ilyas doi.org/10.5210/fm.v22i9.7729
Analysis and interpretation of the data: Uzma Ilyas 13. Jenner M. Is this TVIV? On Netflix, TVIII and binge-
Drafting of the article: Uzma Ilyas
Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content:
watching. New Media Soc. 2014;18(2):257-73.
Aisha Sitwat 14. Pereira SM, Ki M, Power C. Sedentary behavior and
Statistical expertise: Aisha Sitwat biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in
Final approval and guarantor of the article: Uzma Ilyas mid-life: the role of television-viewing and sitting at
Corresponding author email: ozma.ilyas@gmail.com,
uzma.ilyas@ucp.edu.pk
work. PloS one. 2012 Feb 9;7(2):e31132.
Conflict of Interest: None declared 15. Hoang TD, Reis J, Zhu N, Jacobs DR, Launer LJ,
Rec. Date: Jan 6, 2020 Revision Rec. Date: June 8, 2020 Accept Whitmer RA, et al K. Effect of early adult patterns of
Date: Jun 24, 2020 physical activity and television viewing on midlife
cognitive function. JAMA psychiatry. 2016;73(1):73-9.
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