What makes us two-screen users? The effects of two-screen viewing motivation and psychological traits on social interactions

Abstract

This study responds to recent calls for data regarding a phenomenon referred to as two-screen viewing (TSV), in which people on social network sites (SNSs) interact with each other regarding TV series they watch. Specifically, the current study aims to provide empirical evidence pertaining to (a) motivations for TSV, (b) TV-related social interactions on SNSs, (c) the relationships between motivations and social interactions, and (d) the effects of psychological traits on the motivations. Based on an online survey of 442 TV series viewers who used SNSs to interact with other viewers, three primary TSV motivations were identified: social co-viewing, engagement, and passing time. Social interactions were categorized into social sharing and issue surveillance. Motivations were differently associated with actual social interaction types: Engagement and passing time were associated with social sharing, whereas social co-viewing was related only to issue surveillance. In addition, certain psychological traits (e.g., innovativeness, behavioral activation systems) had significant impacts on TSV users' motivations. Taken together, these results illuminate the nature of TSV motivations and behaviors as well as their psychological antecedents.