This is why it takes you forever to decide what to watch

Virgin Radio

25 May 2022, 16:16

We've all been there, idly scrolling the night away trying to decide what to view.

Why is it that we are so indecisive when it comes to our viewing habits?

According to Metro, Reelgood and Learndipity Data Insights carried out research that reported that on average we spend 18 minutes going through Netflix’s archives before finally settling on something.

That adds up to hours over the course of the week or month.

A new book, called Solvable: A Simple Solution To Complex Problems by Arnaud Chevallier and Albrecht Enders has some ideas.

‘Choosing a TV show might seem – in the scheme of things – inconsequential, but actually it’s quite a complex decision,’ they explain.

‘There are so many factors to consider. Your mood that evening – do you want light comedy or immersive psychological drama? What do other family members want to watch?

‘When you consider that 40% of those surveyed wanted to watch something different to their partner, 18 minutes choosing time doesn’t seem so bad.

‘And you don’t have anything like perfect information. Netflix alone has more than 5,000 movies and shows, so you can only ever be aware of a tiny fraction of what’s on there.’

They say there are three issues that commonly crop up.

The first is "bad framing".

The professors say: ‘Do you want to watch the best-rated show on Netflix or one that suits your mood? Are you looking for a quick entertainment fix or something longer and more involved? Have you even asked yourself these questions?

‘Most people fail even to frame problems properly before looking for a solution. If you are unclear what you are looking for, you will almost certainly fail to find it.’

The second is "poor engagement".

Arnaud and Albrecht say: ‘Those with the remotes in their hands often fail to properly engage others in their household, leading to an impasse.

‘In their haste to justify their preferred path, people fail to properly collaborate with key stakeholders – in the case of Netflix this can mean one partner pushing for a violent thriller while the other has a romcom in mind.

‘The result is often that nothing gets watched at all that evening.’

The third and final reason is "outdated information".

Doing your research first can make life easier.

‘Streaming platforms contain a tiny proportion of their available shows,’ say the authors.

‘Their algorithms are blunt tools that result in the same types of programmes being pushed towards the user repeatedly.

‘A common flaw in people’s decision-making is relying on restricted or outdated information from limited sources. Instead of seeking recommendations from friends whose opinions they value, many Netflix users rely entirely on the platform itself to guide them.

‘We need to update our thinking regularly by consulting as many useful sources as possible – but most people don’t.

Hopefully you won't spend 20 minutes scrolling now.