Study: Movie Spoilers Can Help Improve Ability to Understand “Challenging” Films

A new study by Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising associate professor, and colleagues has revealed that movie spoilers may provide contextual information that improves the ability to make sense of and fully experience narratives. “Challenging” films (those that are emotionally difficult or mentally complex) were also more likely to lead people to choose spoilers.

“Seeking Spoilage: The Impact of Content Challenge, Self-Control, and Traits on Spoiler Selection” was published in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media on Aug. 11.

According to the authors, “In this research, we drew from aligned theoretical perspectives to test potential reasons why people might seek spoilage, considering state self-control, perceived affective and cognitive challenge of the movie in question, and various personality traits.”

The researchers found that people might use spoilers to tackle difficult movies (or subject matter), but they generally find spoilers to have small negative effects even if they chose to be spoiled.

Posted: August 15, 2022
Category: College News
Tagged as: Benjamin Johnson