North Central College assistant professor of marketing co-authored article in The Conversation

Carly Drake shared why so many people are drawn to cringe worthy TV shows, movies or viral videos

Carly Drake, assistant professor of marketing at North Central College, co-authored article with Anuja Anil Pradhan, assistant professor of consumption, culture and commerce at University of Southern Denmark, in The Conversation. The piece, published May 9, 2023, focused on the concept of “cringewatching” and explains why watching things like awkward reality TV might actually be good for people.

Here is an excerpt from her article:

Why can’t you stop watching TV shows, movies or viral videos that make you cringe?

Cringe is the feeling you get when your boss cracks a joke in a meeting and no one laughs. It’s when your kid shoots a soccer ball and it misses the net by … a lot. It’s when you watch Kendall Roy from “Succession” awkwardly rap on stage at a celebration honoring his dad’s 50 years at the helm of the family company.

This secondhand embarrassment you feel for other people, real or fictional, is physical and emotional. It’s the gut punch of a gasped “oh no!” paired with a side of “I’m glad that wasn’t me” relief.

Research usually sees cringe in a negative light – as a voyeuristic emotion that allows people to gawk at the misfortune of others.

However, in a recent study, we show that cringe-filled entertainment can actually help people better understand themselves and one another. This may be a big reason why people are so drawn to cringe worthy content in the first place.

Click here to read the full article in The Conversation.