Binge-Watching and Information Overload in the Digital Environment: An Empirical Study

Abstract

The widespread use of streaming platforms and social media has made binge-watching - the continuous consumption of multimedia content within a short period - increasingly common among adolescents. Although prior studies mainly examine binge-watching as entertainment or problematic use, its relationship with information overload among high school students remains underexplored, particularly in emerging digital contexts. This study investigates the association between binge-watching behaviors and perceived information overload among Vietnamese high school students, with attention to underlying psychological dimensions. A cross-sectional survey of 151 students at a public high school in Hanoi revealed that binge-watching is prevalent and significantly associated with information overload. Anticipation showed the strongest positive effect and emerged as the most robust predictor, whereas craving had a significant negative effect. Dependency and avoidance were not statistically significant. Overall, information overload appears to be shaped more by motivational and cognitive mechanisms than by viewing duration, especially expectation-driven engagement and differences in self-regulatory capacity. The findings contribute to understanding digital information behavior by highlighting the role of motivational structures in adolescent cognitive overload.

Received: 31^st January, 2026; Revised: 26^th March, 2026; Accepted: 13^th April, 2026