A Self-Determined Future? Live video content is reshaping our lives

Human motivation has been studied for decades as we try to understand our purpose in society. Every individual has their own decision-making process that drives them toward certain outcomes. This decision-making process is affected by intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that have been studied by psychologists for decades as we try to understand what’s behind our actions. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) proposed by Ryan and Deci explores the relationship between psychological motivation and human development by demonstrating that there are 3 baseline needs for humans to function in society: competence, relationships, and autonomy. Within these three areas we can imagine a multitude of real-life experiences that influence our development. Today we find ourselves influenced by technology at a level humans have never experienced before, thus affecting the three baselines. The live streaming industry has an immense effect on human culture that comes from the many theories proposed in the SDT.

The New Era of Reach

Video streaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, valued today at $89 billion, and expected to grow at a rate close to 21% in the coming years. One of the largest shares of the market is live video streaming which includes sports, news, and music content. As the industry grows with new innovations and more users, the influence of its content will be more apparent on society. When the SDT was first accepted in the 1980s, this industry was only at its inception. Forty years later, the industry looks vastly different and so do the consequences on society. Personal smartphones, easy access social media, and cable television provide content consumption on a level never seen before. People from across the world can connect and contribute in ways that have never been available before, therefore changing the core ideas that motivate us as humans.

Motivation and Live Content

People will engage in an activity because of the feelings of enjoyment they receive during the action rather than looking for enjoyment from specific outcomes. This is called intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation comes from the outcomes one can find by doing the activity. For example, one could be motivated to work by money or to avoid being punished by an employer. The video industry thrives off the combination of these motivators and changes culture by preying off their effects.

Intrinsically, many humans do not look for specific outcomes when it comes to consumption of video content. The association of enjoyment and media is reflected in its growth in recent years. Social applications like TikTok or media moguls like Netflix all continue to grow because of their entertainment value. People are now sitting for longer periods of time and watching content that gives nothing but a distraction from reality. For example, ASMR videos (autonomous sensory meridian response) are extremely popular on live-form social media for emitting a warm feeling of relaxation. Another manifestation of an intrinsic motivator is the social aspect of live content. People come back for the content and the relationships that are forged from it. Many platforms have content creators that stream on a massive scale, many popular organizations or individuals have videos that rack up millions of views. The ideas shared on any platform create groups of individuals that have never spoken to one another; however, they find common ground from the community that surrounds the content, therefore creating the satisfaction of a supportive community and a multitude of new roads to follow.

These communities can change behavioral intentions such as career development, skill acquisition, as well as simply watching for enjoyment. For example, one of the biggest content creators in the world, Ninja, has a total of 18.6 million followers on social media, solely for his video game play throughs. Some of his viewers may try to acquire the skills he has and play the games while others unwind and relax. For many people it creates a fulfilling environment outside work or family that can act as an escape. Vicariously living other lives has become evidently a part of society that does not look to be slowing and it is changing the lives of millions of people. Combining an intrinsic motivator with an extrinsic motivator can elevate that feeling of escape because both forces are nagging the mind at the same time. For instance, people spend an enormous amount of money in all genres of live streaming to help achieve something for their personal lives while also watching during relaxation hours. Whether it be buying a beauty product to be like Kim Kardashian or live sports betting to profit off the game, humans find motivation to watch content and motivation from content.

Determining Our Future

The next challenge lies within our understanding of the consequences of this behavior. It is hard to distinguish between a harmless passing of time, and a habit that changes lives. Individually, it is important to be aware of the “why” when we consume content and not let it sweep us away into a future that is less than self-determined. If we can identify these motivators we may gain more power over the activities we choose to participate in, leading to living more meaningful lives.

Sources: