Study finds that binge-watching TV shows is actually good for you

If you’ve ever told yourself “just one more episode” and ended up deep into the night, you’re not alone. A new study suggests those extended marathons may actually be good for your memory and imagination. Researchers from the University of Georgia and other institutions found that watching or reading in long stretches makes stories stickier and more likely to replay in your head later on.

That mental re-engagement even has its own name: retrospective imaginative involvement (RII). It’s the process of replaying favorite moments, picturing characters in new situations, or rewriting endings in your mind. In other words, when a show or book keeps living in your imagination long after you’ve finished, you’re experiencing RII.

The research team wanted to know if the way you consume a story shapes how strongly it stays with you. They tested whether longer, back-to-back sessions made people remember a story better and, in turn, made them more likely to imagine it later.

Across two surveys of more than 500 college students, the answer was clear. Stories watched or read in long sittings—several TV episodes at once or hours of book reading—were remembered more vividly and sparked stronger imaginative play afterward. People who identified as binge-watchers were especially likely to keep replaying and reshaping stories in their minds.

Joshua Baldwin, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia and lead author of the study, explained why that happens. “Humans are storytelling creatures. One of the functions of narratives is the ability to satisfy motivations for things like connecting with other people, feeling autonomous and confident, and even security and safety. Stories have characters that fulfill these roles, and we can satisfy those needs through them.”

In the first survey, 303 undergraduates listed three stories they kept thinking about and three they quickly forgot. Each participant then answered detailed questions about one high-memory story and one low-memory story. They reported how long they usually watched or read in one sitting, how much they enjoyed and appreciated the story, and how often they engaged in six kinds of RII—ranging from replaying events to imagining new scenarios.

The results showed four strong patterns. First, people reported much more RII for memorable stories than forgettable ones. Second, longer single sittings boosted memory accessibility for both TV shows and books. Third, TV episodes consumed back-to-back predicted more RII across every category, while books showed a weaker but still notable effect. Fourth, people who scored higher on a trait measure of binge-watching reported more RII overall.

The second survey, with 237 students, repeated the experiment with some tweaks. The same patterns emerged. Long sessions again predicted stronger memory and more imagination. Enjoyment fueled basic recall, while appreciation—finding a story meaningful or thought-provoking—linked to every type of RII. Stress, meanwhile, reduced RII in some cases, while more free time allowed for greater imaginative play.

The researchers broke RII into two categories: static and dynamic. Static RII is straightforward remembering—mentally replaying a scene or recalling a character’s traits. Dynamic RII is creative play—changing events, reshaping characters, or inventing untold backstories.

When you daydream about how a character might react to a brand-new challenge, that’s dynamic RII. When you recall a specific scene exactly as it happened, that’s static RII. Both forms were stronger for stories consumed in longer stretches, but TV showed the most reliable effects.

Participants were most likely to list TV shows as their memorable stories. Books tended to land in the less memorable category, while movies were split evenly. One reason may be structure. TV series are designed with cliffhangers and interwoven plots that encourage you to keep going. Watching several episodes back-to-back deepens immersion in the world, strengthens character models, and connects plotlines—all of which make later imagination easier.

Books can do the same, but only if you read in long sessions. Movies already run in a fixed stretch, so there’s less variation to measure. Still, the researchers caution that all mediums can spark deep imagination; it just depends on how they’re consumed.

People who describe themselves as binge-watchers consistently showed more RII. Motives mattered as well. Some participants watched for escape, while others sought personal growth, or what researchers call “boundary expansion.” Both groups engaged in RII, though in slightly different ways. Escapists tended to replay scenes and characters, while those seeking growth explored more creative rewrites.

Enjoyment and appreciation also played different roles. Enjoyment—simply liking the story—aligned most with static recall. Appreciation, even when mixed with sadness or bittersweet emotions, predicted all forms of RII. Meaningful stories, it seems, are the ones that linger longest.

Daily circumstances mattered too. Students with higher stress reported less RII, suggesting mental energy is needed to keep stories alive in your head. On the flip side, having more leisure time encouraged dynamic RII, such as imagining new situations for characters. Those quiet, unhurried moments—like a walk, a commute, or a shower—seem to be fertile ground for story-based daydreaming.

The study adds nuance to ongoing debates about binge-watching. Earlier lab work suggested bingeing might lead to faster memory decay over time. The new findings don’t deny that but highlight a different effect. While detail recall may fade, the overall memory of a story world and its characters can remain highly accessible, especially if consumed in long, immersive sessions. That big-picture memory appears to drive RII.

Baldwin notes the larger takeaway. “People who have that habit of binge-watching shows often aren’t doing it passively but are actually actively thinking about it afterwards. They’re very much wanting to engage with stories, even when they’re not around to watch shows.”

These findings suggest that bingeing may not be the mindless habit it’s often made out to be. Extended viewing or reading sessions can build richer mental models of stories that keep working long after the credits roll. For individuals, this may help with coping, mood regulation, and creative thinking. For creators and streaming platforms, it helps explain why binge-ready releases foster loyal, imaginative fan communities.

The study also hints that carving out unhurried time for stories may have restorative effects, while stress can interfere with this mental replay.

In an age where attention is stretched thin, making room for immersive storytelling could be one way to nurture both memory and imagination.

Research findings are available online in the journal Acta Psychologica.

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