Why Does Netflix Syndrome Occur: A Study on the Effect of Content Choice Deferral on Stress

Abstract

Through the psychological concept of the paradox of choice, this study investigates how factors influencing the deferral of content choices on over-the-top (OTT) platforms contribute to user stress. Specifically, it examines how content overload, social capital, and affective ambivalence affect users' tendency to delay content selection (OTT viewing choice deferral) and whether this deferral leads to increased stress. A survey was conducted among South Korean Netflix users, using content overload, social capital, and affective ambivalence as independent variables, OTT viewing choice deferral as a mediating variable, and OTT stress as the dependent variable. The results of the structural equation model analysis indicate that content overload and affective ambivalence increase users’ tendency to defer content selection, whereas social capital reduces it. Furthermore, the more users delay content selection, the higher their reported levels of stress. The key research question of this study is: How does the abundance of content choices on OTT platforms influence users' psychological well-being, particularly in terms of choice deferral and stress? The findings suggest that to alleviate choice deferral and the resulting stress, OTT service providers should focus on content organization strategies, personalized recommendations, and social engagement features. This study contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating the negative psychological consequences of choice deferral in digital media consumption. © 2025, Center for Asian Public Opinion Research and Collaboration Initiative. All rights reserved.