Researchers report that certain signatures of the brain activity of viewers can predict how successful an online video will be on a personal and broad scale. The patterns show how long someone will watch a clicked video. The brain activity of viewers can also indicate the popularity of a video on internet platforms like YouTube, the scientists report.
From one video to the next – millions of people worldwide spend hours every day on internet platforms like YouTube. Some of the videos presented there become millions of clicked and virally shared hits. Obviously, they have certain characteristics that appeal to many people. So far, little has been researched into what is behind this enthusiasm and trends in the popularity of certain offers from a neuroscientific point of view, says Brian Knutson from Stanford University and his colleagues. As part of their study, they have now investigated the extent to which so-called “neuroforecasting” is possible in user behavior: Are there certain patterns of brain activity in people that are linked to the effects of an online video?
Looked in the head
To answer this question, the scientists looked at 36 volunteers using YouTube in the brain: They recorded the brain activity of the test subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). First, the participants should choose 32 videos on the internet platform based on the thumbnails. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to abort the video after the first four to eight seconds or to continue watching it. Subsequently, the study participants were asked about their opinion on all videos and how they would rate their general popularity.
The evaluations of the brain scans showed that the decision to watch a video for a longer period was associated with increased activity in the nucleus accumbens and in the prefrontal cortex. These are brain regions, of which a meaning in the context of the reward system is known. On the other hand, the premature stopping of viewing was accompanied by increased excitement in the anterior insula – an area of the brain that is linked, for example, to the feeling of punishment.
Popularity in the mirror of brain activity
The researchers then investigated whether patterns could be identified that could be linked to the general popularity of the videos on YouTube. The researchers recorded how often the clips were viewed on the internet platform and how long they were viewed on average. It turned out: “If we only looked at the video selection of our subjects or their comments about the videos, no conclusions could be drawn about the general online reaction. The popularity of a video on the Internet could only be predicted on the basis of the recorded brain activity, ”explains Knutson. Specifically, this means that, when viewing a video, more activity in the brain region associated with the reward system predicted the overall popularity of a video. Conversely, increased activity in the region associated with punishment indicated comparatively little popularity.
“We are dealing with a case where information is contained in the brain activity of the test subjects, which enables us to predict the behavior of other people. But this connection is not necessarily reflected in people’s personal statements or feelings, ”says co-author Lester Tong. “An important finding from this study is that brain activity can reveal hidden information,” said the scientist.
Source: Stanford University, professional article: PNAS, doi: 10.1073 / pnas.1905178117