I could watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer over and over. And over. Beverly Hills, 90210, too.
And a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research explains why. The findings show that the reason we watch our favourite shows or movies over and over goes beyond nostalgia.
We watch reruns over and over (or “re-consume”) because of the guaranteed outcome (what could more satisfying than seeing Buffy kick Faith’s ass? Or Donna drunk at prom?), enhanced viewing from watching that same scene a million times or rediscovery of subtle details (such as did Donna’s boobs always look so odd? And by “odd” I mean messed up!).
(But I get a kick out of the nostaligia, too, like remembering all the styles I copied straight from these shows — from the baby doll dress to the tiny butterfly clips in the hair).
May 30, 2012
TV is linked to so many unhealthy things (for making you feel less satisfied with life and increasing your risk of heart disease), so I found this research from Ohio State University interesting: while TV’s often seen as evil, our favourite TV shows can play an important role in our lives.
Say if Mad Men were to go off the air? For some of us who have developed a strong connection to characters, this would be particularly distressing. And the study found it’s not as though we’d be likely to start being more socially and physically active. In fact, we’re more likely to start watching reruns of the show or surf the net.
April 21, 2011
Those hours you spend poring over clothing on Net-A-Porter and Gilt may bring about having to order a bigger clothing size–and not just thanks to being sedentary.
It seems that time in front of your computer screen can make you crave chocolate, says new research from the University of Copenhagen. The women in the study who did a task on a computer consumed an extra 230 calories compared to women who just kicked back during the same amount of time. The researchers believe that the mental stress of the computer work may trigger changes in blood sugar and hormone levels that trick the brain into thinking it has worked off lots of calories that need replaced.
July 16, 2010