Abstract
In the age of smart media, innovation in digital technology has reshaped the cultural consumption patterns and cognitive construction methods of older adults. Focusing on a sample of 24 older viewers, this study employed a combination of grounded theory and in-depth interviews to systematically examine the motivations behind their micro-drama viewing and its impact on their cognitive construction. This study identified five core motivations—social, utilitarian, reciprocal, self-display, and altruistic— that are, in essence, active constructions of meaning in later life. Based on the analytical framework of motivation theory, the study proposes a “viewing-satisfaction-reconstruction” practice model. Through the practice of watching micro-dramas, older adults achieve a behavioral leap from individual emotional satisfaction to collective meaning-making, which enhances their quality of life and happiness in later years. Our findings provide a new theoretical perspective for understanding the characteristics of cultural consumption among older adults in the smart media age.
Problem Statement
At the intersection of digital innovation and social transformation, patterns of cultural consumption are undergoing an unprecedented shift (He et al., 2024). By the end of 2023, China’s older adult population (aged 60 and above) had reached 296 million, accounting for 21.1% of the total. Projections indicate this figure will exceed 400 million by 2035, making up over 30% of the population (Huang et al., 2025; Wang et al., 2024). Against this demographic backdrop, the widespread adoption of the mobile internet and the explosive growth of short-video platforms have shifted older adults from the margins of cultural life into the role of active participants in the digital age. Consequently, their cultural consumption patterns show characteristics unique to our time (Kim, 2024).
In the ecosystem of short-video media, “micro-short dramas” have rapidly gained a foothold with their “micro-short” format and emotional tension, becoming an important part of digital cultural consumption for older adults (McCord et al., 2020). Recent studies on user engagement with micro-dramas have explored this phenomenon from several perspectives. Some studies have employed quantitative methods to analyze user interactions on platforms such as TikTok, while others have examined the technological and content-related reasons for the high “stickiness” of these dramas using a media morphology approach (Ham et al., 2025; Zhao & Wagner, 2023). Research has also focused on users’ continued use intentions, exploring the crucial role of psychological factors such as “immersive experiences” (Barreda-Angeles & Hartmann, 2022; Lei et al., 2024). However, the current research paradigms still have obvious limitations: First, they overly rely on questionnaires and quantitative analysis, which makes it difficult to deeply reveal the underlying motivations of viewing behavior. Second, they have not systematically examined the complex impact mechanisms of micro-dramas on the mental health, social participation, and family relationships of older adults. Third, there is a lack of theoretical attention to the specific characteristics of digital cultural consumption among older adults.
This study aimed to deepen and advance the theory in several ways. Regarding the nature of engagement, we used grounded theory to deconstruct the “participation” of seniors into a five-dimensional motivational model composed of social, utilitarian, reciprocal, self-display (Liu, 2019), and altruistic factors, greatly enriching our understanding of its complexity (Aspara & Wittkowski, 2019; Harvey & Griffin, 2023). In terms of research depth, we moved beyond simply identifying motives to construct a dynamic “viewing-satisfaction-reconstruction” model. This model systematically reveals the complete internal mechanism, starting from diverse motivations, mediated by the core need for “emotional comfort,” and ultimately leading to the reshaping of “idealized cognition.” From a perspective focused squarely on older adults, we revealed unique motives, such as “reciprocity” and “altruism,” which are often overlooked in studies of the general user population but deeply reflect the quest for meaning in later life. Therefore, our study is not a merely replication of existing studies on engagement but rather offers a deeper, more systematic, and population-specific theoretical framework.
Recent studies have shown that seniors’ traditional cultural consumption patterns primarily take two forms. The first is a collective, “living-room-style” consumption, centered around sharing mass media such as radio, television, and newspapers within the family, but with limited content choice (Kim & Vishak, 2008). The second is a physical, “public-square” socialization, which involves face-to-face interactions through activities such as square dancing, chess, and community events, all of which depend on physical co-presence (Tian & Wise, 2025). The “micro-drama viewing” examined in this study represents an emerging consumption model that differs significantly from these traditions. The consumption scene shifts from the collective to the individual as viewing moves from the shared living room screen to the personal phone’s private screen. The logic of social interaction also evolves; unlike physical socialization that relies on being in the same space, micro-drama viewing is a solitary act that nonetheless fuels a need for hybrid social interaction, where the content becomes a new form of “social currency” for maintaining both online and offline relationships. The crucial difference, however, is the driving force, which shifts from a general preference for realistic content to a targeted pursuit of the “emotional comfort” offered by idealized narratives. Therefore, micro-drama viewing is not a simple online migration of traditional consumption but a brand-new cultural practice, which emerged from the combined forces of technological empowerment and psychological needs. Its complex motivational and cognitive mechanisms urgently require deeper scholarly investigation.
Theoretical Framework and Dialogue With Existing Research
An Integrated Framework Centered on Motivation Theory
Motivation theory is generally used to "explain the motivation of individual behavior and the persistence of individual behavior" (Grant, 2008). Its application is widespread, extending beyond media consumption to studies on individual participation in diverse contexts, such as sports and organizational management. Research has shown that an individual’s “continued desire to participate is often subject to the complex influence of multiple factors, including personal attachment, satisfaction, the external environment, and demographic characteristics (such as age and gender)” (Koronios et al., 2016, 2017, 2019). Other theoretical lenses are also useful for understanding the specific motivations of seniors. According to need satisfaction theory, the use of any media product is driven by the fulfillment of certain needs, which for older adults may include “emotional needs, social needs, self-actualization needs, etc.” (Hahn & Oishi, 2006; Yu & Chen, 2024). Furthermore, an individual’s motivation can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic factors (Chen & Tu, 2021). Within this framework, internal factors can include an individual’s personality tendencies and values, while external factors may cover the influence of public opinion, family, and friends (Mottus et al., 2020). This study explored the deeper motivations and impacts of continuous micro-drama viewing among older adults, with its theoretical framework selected through careful deliberation. While the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the job demands-resources model (JD-R) have some reference value, the former centers on “perceived usefulness” and “perceived ease of use,” whereas the latter’s primary application in organizational and occupational health psychology could compromise this study’s theoretical rigor. By contrast, social cognitive theory (SCT) aligns perfectly with our research goals. Its emphasis on the dynamic, interactive, and mutually determining relationship between the individual, the environment, and behavior provides a powerful lens for explaining the complex links between the internal needs of seniors (personal factors), the content features of micro-dramas (environmental factors), and their viewing practices (behavior) (Hasan et al., 2024). This study extends the scope of SCT by focusing specifically on the older population. We explored the unique interplay between personal factors and the media environment by deconstructing drivers into a five-motivation model. This provides a new analytical dimension for the "personal factors" within SCT and reveals the complex media practices of older adults. Watching such dramas may also help meet older adults’ social needs, particularly in their search for an ideal model of interpersonal relationships (Lemay et al., 2007). An individual’s behavioral motivation can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. "Intrinsic motivation may refer to one’s genuine interests and hobbies, while extrinsic motivation may refer to incentives from the outside, such as encouragement from family members or recommendations from friends." The interest of older adults in micro-dramas likely stems from a combination of both.
An Analytical Framework Based on Emotional Needs and Media Usage
Emotional needs are one of the fundamental human needs, involving people’s inner pursuits such as "a sense of security, belonging, respect and self-actualization" (Jung & Lee, 2023). As people age, the traditional social roles of older adults gradually fade away, and they may experience a sense of loneliness and being marginalized by society (Zhang & Cheng, 2024). Emotional satisfaction and psychological comfort have become one of the main reasons for them to choose entertainment content (Bartsch, 2012). Media use refers to the behavior of individuals obtaining information and entertainment through various media such as television, the Internet, and smart phones. The rise of short videos has provided a new form of entertainment for older adults. The simplicity and ease of consumption of short videos are particularly suitable for older adults group who have limited time and relatively low digital skills (Ryu et al., 2009). Combining the content characteristics of "micro-short dramas", such as simple plots, distinct character designs, and direct emotional expressions, along with the emotional needs and media usage habits of older adults, a theoretical analysis framework can be constructed to explain why older adults are attracted to this type of short drama, and further analyze its impact on their daily life, social interaction, and mental health.
The Correlation Theory of Older People Watching “Micro Short Dramas”
Media audiences are active media users. They select media content based on specific needs and motivations and obtain corresponding satisfaction from it (Parent, 2023). The Uses and Gratifications Theory initially mainly included three links: "motivation for media use, media expectations, and audience needs and gratifications" (Grady et al., 2022). The core of it lies in focusing on the purpose of the audience’s use of media rather than the one-way influence of media on the audience (Cho et al., 2024). The Uses and Gratifications Theory can help to analyze the intrinsic motivations of older adults in choosing such short dramas and the psychological or emotional satisfaction they obtain from them. The Social Identity Theory "reveals the influence of group identity on the formation of individual social cognition and attitudes". When an individual has a higher sense of identification with the community or collective they belong to, they are more likely to be motivated to take collective action. An individual’s behavior and attitude in society are often influenced by the group they belong to, and this sense of identification can fulfill the individual’s need for a sense of belonging and self-worth realization (Essiz & Mandrik, 2022). The motivations for older adults to watch micro-short dramas might stem from their identification with the characters in the dramas, their pursuit of a sense of social belonging, and the impact of short dramas on the reshaping of their social identities. The media dependency theory holds that "audiences rely on the information provided by the media to meet their needs and achieve their goals"(Bachmann et al., 2022). There are three goals that individuals aim to achieve by relying on the resources controlled by the media: "understanding, orientation and entertainment"(Andersen et al., 2023). While older adults group acquires and exchanges social information, satisfies entertainment, changes moods and achieves goals through micro short dramas, they also shape their media usage habits and cognitive patterns (Sui et al., 2025). The feedback from older adults’ group can help content creators better understand their needs and preferences, thereby creating content that better meets the needs of older adults. The media consumption behavior of older adults is not only a reflection of their autonomous choices and judgments as consumers, but also an active participation as content creators and evaluators. The media consumption of older adults group "not only enriches the spiritual and cultural life of older adults, but also provides impetus and space for the innovation and development of media content".
Research Design
Research Methods
This study adopted a mixed-methods approach, beginning at the micro level, with grounded theory and in-depth interviews. This qualitative strategy was selected because the topic involves a complex interplay of individual emotions, subjective experiences, and sociocultural backgrounds—dynamics that conventional quantitative methods often fail to capture in terms of underlying causal mechanisms. By employing grounded theory combined with in-depth interviews, we constructed a theoretical model from the ground up, starting from the perspective of the older viewers themselves. This allowed for a contextualized understanding of the issue, providing the "thick description" necessary for profound insight. The grounded theory process consists of three core steps: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding (Sui et al., 2025). During the open coding stage, researchers need to conduct a preliminary analysis of the interview data, identify and name phenomena, and form initial concepts and categories. This process should remain open and avoid interference from preconceived theoretical frameworks. Entering the axial coding stage, researchers integrate the concepts and categories obtained from open coding, reveal their internal connections, and extract more abstract main categories. In the selective coding stage, researchers build a coherent storyline around the core category, comprehensively understand the research phenomenon, and propose a theoretical model based on this, thereby deepening the understanding of the research object. This study mainly aims to address the following questions: Why do older adults like to watch micro short dramas? What are the motivations for their viewing? What impacts will watching such short dramas have? How do older adults perceive their own behavior of watching micro short dramas? What is the mechanism by which micro short dramas influence the cognition of older adults?
Research Subjects and Data Collection
The primary source of data for this study was one-on-one semi-structured interviews. To ensure the comprehensiveness and timeliness of the data, the research adopted purposive sampling and theoretical sampling strategies, combined with closed and open-ended questioning techniques, and carefully selected interviewees based on a pre-constructed theoretical framework. Additionally, it incorporated incidental sampling and snowball sampling methods and emphasized differential sampling to ensure the diversity and depth of the sample. Given that the behavior of older adults in watching micro-short dramas is influenced by multiple complex factors such as personal background, preferences, platform usage habits, and social environment, the interview design closely revolves around these core variables. The interview process first focuses on the basic information of the respondents, such as age, marital status, living situation, and occupation income, aiming to depict their family structure and daily life picture. On this basis, a preliminary exploration was conducted with two participants through pre-interviews, using closed-ended questions such as "Which type of micro-short drama do you prefer? When do you usually watch them?" Subsequently, based on the responses, open-ended follow-up questions were posed to delve deeper into the underlying motivations behind the content selection. As the research progressed, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the behavioral motivations of older adults in watching micro-short dramas and the environmental, media, and individual factors behind them, the interview content was expanded. New questions such as "Why do you prefer micro-short dramas over TV series?" and "What do you like and dislike the most in your current life?" were added, forming the framework for the second round of interviews. After a series of secondary interviews and case studies, the research continuously iterated the process of data organization and analysis until theoretical saturation was achieved. Ultimately, this study refined an interview outline consisting of 10 questions, ingeniously integrating closed-ended and open-ended questions, aiming to comprehensively examine: first, the basic demographic characteristics of the respondents; second, their viewing feelings and experiences of micro-short dramas; and third, their overall evaluation of micro-short dramas. This outline not only reflects the depth and breadth of the research but also provides a solid foundation for a deeper understanding of the consumption behavior of micro-short dramas among older adults.
(1) What is your age, gender and educational background? Do you live alone? What kind of micro short dramas do you prefer?
(2) What special life experiences do you have? Will this affect your viewing preferences for micro short dramas?
(3) Do you have time to watch short plays? When do you usually watch them? How is watching short plays related to your daily routine?
(4) Why do you prefer micro short dramas over TV series? When watching micro short dramas, do you have a strong emotional resonance? What elements of short dramas (characters, plots, emotions, etc.) resonate with you?
(5) When you watch this kind of short drama, which emotions do you tend to experience more?
(6) Do you think this kind of short drama can help meet your daily emotional needs, such as companionship and satisfaction? What emotional changes will they bring to you?
(7) When watching micro short dramas, do you feel a psychological need to escape from reality? If so, could you describe this need specifically?
(8) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of short plays in expressing emotions and character relationships? What is your favorite and least favorite thing in your current life?
(9) Do you think the plots of such short plays have any commonality with your life experiences? If so, what do you think their significance to your life is?
(10) What practical impacts do you think micro short dramas have had on your life (such as emotional changes, views on relationships with others, etc.)? Are these impacts positive or negative?
Ethical Considerations and Theoretical Saturation
Data for this study were collected between March and July 2024 in strict adherence to academic ethical standards. Using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling, 24 older adults aged 60 years and older who regularly watched micro-dramas were recruited as interview participants. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of our institution. Prior to the interviews, all participants were fully informed of the study’s purpose, procedures, and data usage, and all signed an informed consent form. Participation was entirely voluntary, and the respondents had the right to withdraw at any time. After obtaining consent, data were collected through one-on-one in-depth interviews, and all personal information was anonymized to ensure participant privacy. The target group for this study was the older adult population, defined by the World Health Organization’s age classification standard as individuals aged 60 and above. A total of 29 older individuals who had frequently watched micro-dramas in the past two years were initially recruited for one-on-one interviews. These included six face-to-face and 23 telephone interviews, each lasting between 20 and 40 min. Among the respondents, 17 were women (59%) and 12 were men (41%), representing diverse educational backgrounds. After transcription and initial screening, five interviews were excluded because the participants indicated that they did not like watching micro-dramas," resulting in a final valid sample of 24. This sample yielded over 70,000 words of interview records.
Theoretical saturation was achieved. By the time the 20th participant was interviewed and their data were coded, the core theoretical categories had stabilized. The data from the four subsequent participants did not generate any new significant concepts or theoretical relationships, indicating that the data had reached a state of theoretical saturation. This sample size is consistent with common practices in qualitative research, where the depth and richness of data are prioritized over absolute numbers (Guest et al., 2006). Therefore, the sample size of 24 participants in this study was sufficient to support the construction of a deep, complex, and original theoretical model. Table 1 presents basic information about the 24 respondents listed by age.
Basic Information of the Respondents.
Construction of the Viewing Motivation Model
Open Coding
Open coding represents the initial stage of analysis in grounded theory. The process emphasizes objectivity, primarily using the respondents’ own words as the basis for coding to extract initial conceptual categories. During this stage, the original data was meticulously coded on a line-by-line basis. A classification rule was then applied: concepts that appeared fewer than two times or were irrelevant to the research topic were eliminated, while those that appeared three or more times were grouped into broader categories. Following this procedure, our study ultimately established 12 initial categories and their corresponding conceptual groups (as detailed in Table 2).
Open Coding Categories: From Raw Data to Initial Categories.
Axial Coding
Axial coding builds upon and deepens the open coding stage. Its goal is to reveal the underlying connections among the initial conceptual categories and to construct more abstract, higher-level main categories. Through a process of logical sorting and classification, this study extracted five main categories from the initial open codes: social interaction, utilitarianism, reciprocity, self-display, and altruism (see Table 3).
Axial Coding: From Initial Categories to Five Main Categories.
Selective Coding
Selective coding involves a final stage of analysis following axial coding. The aim is to identify a core category that integrates and governs all other categories, thereby allowing for the construction of a theoretical framework. In this study, which focuses on the viewing behavior and experience of older adults with micro-dramas, we selected "emotional comfort" as the core category. We then explored how the other main categories—social interaction, utilitarianism, reciprocity, self-display, and altruism—relate to this core. This in-depth exploration allows for the formation of a comprehensive understanding of this group’s viewing behavior, as illustrated in Table 4.
Selective Coding: The Relational Structure between the Main Categories and the Core Category of “Emotional Comfort.”
Note. The relational structure in this table was constructed by the researchers based on a grounded theory analysis of the interview data.
The theoretical saturation test is a pivotal step in grounded theory research to ensure the reliability and validity of findings. During the coding process of the 24 samples, an initial theoretical model emerged by the time the 20th sample was analyzed. To confirm saturation, the remaining four samples were analyzed. The results revealed no new significant concepts or categories, confirming that the theoretical model had achieved saturation, thus ensuring the stability and robustness of the research outcomes. Consequently, this study successfully establishes the theoretical framework shown in Figure 1. This model is centered on the core category of "emotional comfort" and systematically reveals the five main motivational categories that drive seniors to watch micro-dramas: social interaction, utilitarianism, reciprocity, self-display, and altruism. The model clarifies that these five motivations are not isolated, but interact to jointly drive viewing behavior. This viewing behavior, in turn, impacts their individual emotions, social interactions, and self-perception, forming a dynamic "Motivation→ Behavior→ Impact" feedback loop. Furthermore, the model posits that an individual’s sociocultural background and personal traits act as moderating variables influencing the relationship between motivation and behavior.
A framework for understanding motivations and cognitive transformation in seniors’ micro-drama viewing.
The main concepts and logical relationships presented in the internal structure of this conceptual model are as follows:
(1) The core category synthesizes the five primary dimensions by integrating social, utilitarian, reciprocal, conspicuous consumption, and altruistic motives into a cohesive theoretical framework, thereby elucidating the multifaceted motivations underlying Older individuals’ engagement with micro-short dramas.
(2) By clarifying the logical relationships, the core category uncovers the underlying interconnections among the five motivational forces. For example, social and utilitarian motives may synergistically drive the viewing behavior, whereas the motives of conspicuous consumption and altruism may play a role in shaping the persistence of such behavior over time.
(3) The core category, which elucidates the mechanism of behavioral influence, not only examines the motives themselves but also delves into how these motives shape the viewing behavior of Older individuals and its sustainability. Additionally, it investigates how viewing behavior reciprocally influences emotional experiences, interpersonal communication, and self-perception.
(4) Through the overarching framework of core categories, this study has developed the following conceptual storyline: Motivations drive behaviors, which in turn generate impacts. The social and cultural context moderates the relationship between motivations and behaviors, while individual differences contribute to the diversity of both motivations and behaviors.
Results
Presentation of the Core Motivations
Motivation theory aims to explore the psychological mechanisms and internal needs that drive individual behavior and serves as a key theoretical framework for studying the intrinsic motivations of audiences when they consume media content. Based on the theoretical model shown in Figure 1, the following section will provide a detailed explanation of the five core motivations identified in this study: social, utilitarian, reciprocal, "self-display," and altruistic.
Social Motivations: Driven by Emotional and Entertainment Needs
Emotional needs are the primary drivers for older adults to engage in micro-dramas (Li & Alencar, 2023). With age, they often face multiple challenges such as distance from relatives and friends, health-related issues, and shifts in social roles, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and emptiness. In this context, micro-dramas provide emotional sustenance through idealized narratives and engaging interactions. As one widowed respondent living alone shared: "Being home by myself is quite lonely, so from time to time, I’ll open my phone to watch a drama, and it doesn’t feel so desolate then. The people in the show are so full of life, and it warms my heart a little" (S13). The portrayal of perfect romantic relationships, harmonious family dynamics, and idealized social connections in these videos helps create emotional resonance among older adults, thereby alleviating their feelings of loneliness. This form of comfort not only fulfills their need for emotional support but also allows them to find a sense of belonging and solace in a virtual space, mitigating the psychological burdens of their real-life experiences. Consequently, these emotionally oriented short videos have become a form of "emotional fast food," enabling users to find virtual warmth during spare moments throughout their day.
Entertainment needs also serve as a significant motivating factor for older adults to engage with micro short dramas. Following the increase in free time after retirement, older adults seek to fill their leisure time through various activities (Lin, 2024). Micro-short dramas typically feature light-hearted and pleasant content with straightforward plots, offering older adults a relaxing and enjoyable viewing experience. These short dramas are characterized by simple plot structures, clear character relationships, and an idealized social environment, enabling older adults to achieve rapid entertainment and relaxation during viewing. Additionally, micro-short dramas possess a notable escapist function. In real-life contexts, older adults frequently encounter challenges such as health issues, economic pressures, or social isolation. By engaging with these fantasy-driven and idealized narratives, they can temporarily escape from real-life concerns and attain brief psychological relief. The cultural attributes of this type of short drama fulfill the unique leisure and entertainment needs of older adults, reflecting their emotional aspirations for an ideal life.
Utilitarian Motivation: External Incentives and Behavioral Drivers
With the widespread adoption of internet technology, the diversity and user-friendly features of short-video platforms have provided older adults with a broader range of choices. When selecting a viewing platform, they tend to prioritize ease of use and the availability of reward systems. Many platforms incentivize users to engage with specific content through mechanisms such as point accumulation and coupon distribution. These rewards not only provide economic benefits but also enhance participation in platform activities, thereby increasing older adults’ motivation to watch short videos. One respondent clearly articulated this dual utilitarianism: "On the ’Hongguo’ short-drama app, you can earn money just by watching videos—it would be a waste not to. Besides, some of the shows are actually pretty good and you can learn something. Last time, I watched one about everyday family matters and it had tips on how to get along with neighbors. I definitely took some notes" (S4). The platform’s ease of use, combined with its curated content for seniors, also chooses platform to use more pragmatic, fulfilling their need for a convenient and comfortable viewing experience.
The idealized depiction of plotlines and interpersonal relationships in short dramas can also serve as an emotional regulatory mechanism, assisting older adults in sustaining a positive and optimistic outlook on life, and consequently enhancing both physical and mental well-being (Wong et al., 2022). The enhancement of cognitive and memory functions also serves as a utilitarian motivation for older adults to engage with short dramas. As individuals age, they may encounter challenges related to cognitive decline. Research indicates that participation in targeted entertainment activities can effectively facilitate the maintenance and exercise of cognitive abilities among older adults. By engaging with these series, older adults can sustain their focus on and reflection of daily life, thereby strengthening memory retention, improving cognitive functioning, and enhancing their understanding of social interactions.
Reciprocity Motivation: Fulfilling Social Expectations
Family and social support serve as significant motivations for older adults to engage with short dramas. To sustain positive relationships with family members and close friends, older adults frequently opt for shared entertainment content, particularly micro-short dramas that also interest their families and friends. By jointly watching and discussing these short dramas, older adults can not only obtain emotional support but also maintain common topics of conversation with their families, thereby enhancing mutual communication and understanding. The plots of micro-short dramas are typically straightforward yet engaging, making them suitable for family viewing, especially among older adults, and thus fostering intergenerational communication and emotional bonding. Through engagement with these dramas, older adults can better integrate into the family social network and mitigate potential estrangement stemming from the information isolation effect.
Communication and interaction are also critical reciprocal motivations for older adults to engage with short dramas. As individuals age, they often face shrinking social networks and reduced daily interactions. Thus, watching these dramas has become a means of sustaining social relationships and actively participating in social exchanges. As one housewife shared: "My granddaughter is glued to her phone watching this stuff whenever she’s back from break. If I don’t watch it, I have nothing to talk to her about. Now I watch it too, and we can chat about which characters are good or bad. She thinks her grandma is pretty cool now" (S12). In social settings, older adults frequently share storylines and exchange their reflections with others, thereby meeting the expectations associated with their social roles. For instance, by being able to discuss these shows, they can embody the role of a "caring grandmother" or an "attentive neighbor," deriving a sense of "psychological compensation" from it. By participating in family or neighborhood discussions and articulating their understanding of dramas, older adults demonstrate a positive and empathetic nature. Such social behaviors not only strengthen their sense of presence within interpersonal relationships but also facilitate their integration into broader social interactions through shared topics.
Self-Display Motivation: Self-Presentation and Social Identity Projection
Identity recognition and projection are central to the motivation for self-display (Wells & Friedland, 2023). In modern society, where engagement with popular culture has become a key part of social identity, older adults face identity-related challenges. By consuming micro-dramas, they can achieve cognitive resonance with characters and, subsequently, strengthen their sense of social identity by seeing themselves in these roles. As one respondent from a university for seniors put it, “All my classmates are watching it. If you don’t, you fall behind the times. When we all get together to chat, I can actually contribute to the conversation. It makes me feel like my mindset is still young, that I haven’t lost touch with society” (S18). Female characters in microdramas are often portrayed as charismatic, intelligent, and self-assured, which enables older viewers to associate these attributes with themselves. This association enhances their sense of self-worth and allows them to convey to others that they are attentive to social trends and possess a degree of modern taste. This reinforcement of identity empowers older adults to exhibit greater confidence in their social contexts, thereby promoting an overall enhancement of their self-perception.
Individual characteristics play a crucial role in the motivation for conspicuous display. Older individuals with an extroverted personality often seek to engage in "forms of social interaction that emphasize presence." By sharing their reflections on micro-short dramas, they can exhibit their discernment in entertainment content selection and their keen awareness of popular culture. This not only aids in maintaining a positive social image among family and friends but also empowers them to assume a proactive stance in social activities. Extroverted individuals tend to be more active in group interactions, and watching short dramas has become a significant means for them to project their identity and establish meaningful connections with others.
Altruistic Motivation: Role Identity and Value Congruence
In contemporary society, older adults face the transformation of their social roles and the reassessment of their self-worth (Williams, 2000). The emotional resonance and moral values communicated through micro-dramas provide older adults with an opportunity for cognitive engagement and emotional alignment. Micro-dramas frequently communicate positive values, such as perseverance, courage, and optimism, through the complex narratives experienced by their protagonists. These themes align with older adult’s aspirations for social harmony and familial wellbeing. Engaging with these series serves not only as a form of entertainment but also as a significant means of situational adaptation within contemporary social culture. Through the character development and plot progression in these dramas, older adults are able to establish emotional connections with the characters, which in turn strengthens their sense of social connectedness and integration while enhancing their quality of life and social engagement.
The desire to provide family and social support is a critical dimension of altruistic motivation. Older adults can share the positive messages and moral values conveyed in micro-dramas with family members or friends, fostering social harmony. Many of these dramas incorporate profound themes related to familial affection, friendship, and responsibility, enabling older viewers to see reflections of their own life experiences within these narratives. An 85-year-old respondent explained, "Some TV shows these days are just a mess, but this short drama talks all about how good deeds are rewarded and the importance of being a kind person. I think that’s wonderful, so I send it to my son and his family to watch, so they can learn a lesson or two from it as well" (S15). By engaging in joint viewing or sharing drama storylines with their families, older adults can transmit moral principles, behavioral norms, and social values to younger generations. In particular, during family interactions, the positive emotions and constructive behavioral patterns portrayed in dramas can inspire mutual care and support among family members. This transmission of emotions and values not only strengthens emotional connections but also empowers older adults to assume an active role in the broader social context, contributing to social cohesion. Importantly, through such activities, they not only derive personal enjoyment from entertainment but also subtly adopt the role of cultural mediators, enhancing their sense of social responsibility and influence both within the family and in society at large.
The Impact and Consequences of Micro-drama Viewing
The Dual Impact of Viewing Patterns on Real Life
As technology has boomed and the internet has become a part of daily life, seniors have found new ways to stay entertained with short videos and web series. In particular, those super-short "micro-dramas" are now a big part of their daily viewing habits (Flayelle et al., 2023). While these shows can certainly help ease loneliness and connect with older adults’ emotions, there’s a real-world downside we can’t overlook. Seniors who spend hours watching these micro-dramas can become so emotionally invested that they start depending on the characters, treating these fictional people like they’re part of their actual lives. When this habit grows stronger, the line between the virtual world and reality can start to blur. This often causes them to pull back from real life, interacting less with family and friends and feeling even more isolated as a result. By tuning out what’s happening in the world around them, their overall quality of life and mental health can take a real hit. What’s more, because the plots are so addictive, many seniors find themselves watching late into the night. This makes it harder to fall asleep and leads to poor sleep quality in general. These sleep problems can then make feelings of isolation even worse, creating a vicious cycle that impacts both their physical and mental health.
The Path from Emotional Resonance to “Soft Addiction” Risk
The appeal of these micro-dramas often lies in the idealized emotional escape they provide, offering a powerful remedy for the loneliness and sense of loss that many seniors feel in their daily lives. In these shows, the main characters are typically all-powerful heroes—the very picture of love and happiness. They navigate perfect relationships and emotional situations, giving older viewers an emotional anchor and a place to invest their feelings. As they watch more frequently, their emotional investment deepens until it becomes a powerful form of "emotional resonance." By putting themselves in the characters’ shoes, they can project their own needs onto the story and find emotional fulfillment in a virtual world. It’s a way for them to fill an emotional void through these one-sided relationships, which gradually builds into a genuine emotional dependency on the characters. This isn’t just about how often or how long they watch; it can also be seen in how deeply they identify with the people on screen. Over time, this deep immersion can lead to what some call a "soft addiction" (Wang et al., 2015) . While it might not be a full-blown clinical addiction, it’s strong enough to negatively affect their lives. For seniors, this can mean getting so swept up in the drama that they start to neglect real-world responsibilities, from family duties to social events. The intense emotional rollercoaster of the shows—from thrilling highs to devastating lows—can also disrupt their emotional stability. Even more concerning, it can pose serious health risks, potentially triggering cardiovascular problems, worsening eyesight, or causing sleep disorders.
Cognitive Reconstruction, Value Shifts, and Their Consequences
Seniors often face a host of challenges, from declining health and the loss of loved ones to major shifts in their social roles. On a mental level, these changes can trigger deep feelings of unease and anxiety, leaving them searching for emotional comfort and a sense of stability. Against this backdrop, micro-dramas—with their simple plots, direct emotions, and idealized characters—have become a go-to form of entertainment. Watching these shows, which are filled with perfect love stories and flawless relationships, offers a temporary escape from the hardships of reality. They can step into a virtual world overflowing with warmth and harmony. But this escape is not without consequence, as this virtual world is actively reshaping how they think and what they value. While such "idealized thinking" might soothe their anxieties in the short term, it can have a serious long-term impact on their mental health and ability to adapt to real life. Gradually and subtly, these shows can lead seniors to believe that real-world relationships should be just as perfect and harmonious as they are on screen. This creeping influence lowers their tolerance for the normal friction and complexity of family life, all while building up unrealistic expectations. And when reality inevitably fails to meet these drama-fueled hopes, they can be hit with intense feelings of disappointment and helplessness. This, in turn, can spiral into serious emotional problems like anxiety and depression, worsening their psychological distress and making it even harder to cope with the real world.
Discussion
This study sheds light on the five core motivations driving seniors to watch micro-dramas: social connection, practical utility, reciprocity, self-display, and altruism. It further maps out the cognitive evolution they undergo, a process centered around a deep-seated need for "emotional comfort." Yet, when we place these findings in a broader context and engage with them critically, we begin to see a more complex, and at times, even contradictory picture. The initial discoveries reveal that behind this phenomenon, a more intricate set of effects is at play.
The Primacy of Emotional Comfort Alongside Instrumental Use
"Emotional comfort" stands out as the primary driver for seniors watching micro-dramas. This finding aligns closely with media dependency theory, which posits that the media serve to satisfy individual emotional needs. However, this finding contradicts some existing research that characterizes seniors’ use of digital media as a form of "instrumental rationality," where motivations are mainly practical and utilitarian. While our study did identify a "utilitarian motive," it was clearly secondary to the need for emotional fulfillment. Why the difference? We believe this is because the very nature of micro-dramas, with their highly emotional, story-driven formats, naturally magnifies the importance of emotional needs. This ultimately shows that, when it comes to understanding media use among older adults, a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Any meaningful analysis must consider the specific content consumed and the context in which it is used.
The Dual Effects of Idealized Cognition: Cognitive Bias and Psychological Resilience
As the section on "cognitive evolution" revealed, micro-dramas pose the risk of fostering an "idealized cognition." This can lead seniors to become so absorbed in perfect storylines that they become dissatisfied and disappointed with their own reality—a clear negative outcome. However, at the same time, psychology offers another perspective. For older adults dealing with the real pressures of life, idealized narratives can serve as a powerful tool for "cognitive reappraisal." This, in turn, becomes a strategy for building psychological resilience and helping them maintain a positive mood and an optimistic outlook. Here lies its potential positive effect. Ultimately, this "idealized cognition" is a double-edged sword. Whether its impact is helpful or harmful depends on a combination of factors: the individual’s psychological state, the strength of their real-world support system, and the nature and extent of their viewing habits.
The "Soft Addiction" Paradox: The Risk of Disorder and Comfort of Order
The risk of "soft addiction" that this study identifies among seniors is deeply paradoxical. On the one hand, excessive immersion in these dramas can crowd out real-world activities and threaten physical and mental health. This is the "risk of disorder." On the other hand, for retirees whose daily lives may lack a steady rhythm, the act of watching micro-dramas at a set time can provide a much-needed sense of "structure and routine." It introduces a feeling of ritual and predictability that counteracts anxiety and uncertainty born from a life without order. In this sense, it becomes a coping mechanism for maintaining structure and a sense of inner peace—a form of "orderly comfort." Therefore, when evaluating this type of behavior, it is crucial to look deeper into the function it serves for the individual and distinguish between its potential for harm and its capacity for help.
The Uniqueness of the Cognitive Reconstruction Mechanism: From "Reality Simulation" to "Emotional Compensation"
The mechanism of "idealized cognition" reshaping the mind, as identified in our study, reveals its distinctiveness in a dialogue with established media theories. The classic "cultivation theory," for instance, describes a gradual process of "reality simulation," where an audience’s perception of reality slowly aligns with the world presented by the media. However, our study revealed a high-speed mechanism of "emotional compensation" driven by intense emotional needs. The core differences lie in their direction and function: cultivation theory is oriented toward judging social reality, whereas our mechanism focuses on constructing an "ideal utopia." The former emphasizes behavioral imitation, whereas the latter focuses on compensating for real-life emotional deficits. Therefore, this mechanism serves as a crucial supplement to classic media effects theories. This sheds new light on how cultural products designed for emotional fulfillment can reshape an individual’s cognitive structure in the age of smart media, offering a new lens for understanding the cognitive evolution of older adults.
Limitations and Future Research
While this study, employing Grounded Theory, has constructed a model of the motivations for and cognitive shifts associated with micro-drama viewership among older adults, yielding valuable findings, it is nonetheless subject to several limitations that warrant further investigation.
Limited Engagement with Established Theories
While the present study puts forth a theoretical model grounded in empirical data, its engagement and integration with prominent existing theories—such as Uses and Gratifications Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and Cultivation Theory—are not sufficiently robust. Future research should endeavor to place the core category of ‘emotional solace’ and concepts like ‘idealized cognition,’ identified herein, into a more rigorous comparative dialogue with these classical frameworks. Such an effort would deepen the theoretical understanding of digital media practices among older adults.
Limitations of Sample Representativeness
This study utilized purposive and theoretical sampling strategies, resulting in a final sample of 24 participants. While the sample exhibits a degree of diversity in terms of age, gender, and educational background, its coverage of older adults from varying socioeconomic statuses was not comprehensive. Future research could employ more representative methods, such as stratified sampling, to facilitate cross-regional and cross-strata comparative analyses.
Methodological Limitations
The processes of coding and theory construction inherent to Grounded Theory are inevitably influenced by researcher subjectivity. Future studies could therefore employ quantitative methods—such as surveys, experiments, or longitudinal studies—to empirically validate the model proposed herein on a larger scale. Such an approach would permit a more precise measurement of the relational strengths and causal pathways among the model’s constituent variables.
Conclusion
In today’s smart media age, micro-dramas have become more than just a new form of entertainment. With their romanticized and idealized stories, they effectively meet a pressing need among seniors for emotional comfort and social connection. This behavior is not merely a matter of cultural consumption; it reflects a deeper process of cognitive reconstruction that older adults experience as they navigate modern life. Through their engagement with these shows, seniors are actively transforming and rebuilding their self-perception—articulating emotional needs, redefining social roles, and finding personal meaning in their lives. Drawing on in-depth interviews and grounded theory analysis, this study reveals that the motivations for this viewing behavior are multifaceted. It involves both a continuation of traditional emotional patterns and a proactive adaptation to modern media culture; it is at once a pursuit of psychological comfort and an exploration of new paradigms in cultural consumption. Based on this analysis, our study puts forward the following key conclusions and implications:
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Ultimately, by implementing such measures, we can foster an environment that empowers seniors to achieve a self-reconstruction with a greater sense of agency and value. This not only enhances their quality of life and happiness but also offers a new framework for understanding the cultural consumption patterns of older adults in the intelligent media era.
Footnotes
Acknowledgements
Our heartfelt thanks go out to all the anonymous participants in this study. We are deeply grateful for their time and for generously sharing their personal experiences and insights, without which this research would not have been possible. We also wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the anonymous peer reviewers and the editors. Their constructive feedback and valuable suggestions were instrumental in strengthening and refining this paper.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Huaiyin Normal University. All participants provided written informed consent to participate in this study.
Consent to Participate
Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their participation in this study.
Consent for Publication
All participants provided informed consent for the publication of anonymized data and quotes from their interviews.
Funding
The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Planning Fund of the Ministry of Education of China under Grant No. 21YJA860018, for the project titled "Smartphone Usage Among Urban Older Adults in Economically Developed Regions: A Risk Communication Perspective."
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Data Availability Statement
The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.