Research Article

Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot

Number: 49 June 11, 2026
TR EN

Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot

Abstract

Short–form video advertisements have become one of the fastest–growing areas in online advertising due to their concise and engaging content. With the increasing global interest in such advertisements, several concerns have emerged. One of these concerns is brain rot. This study aims to examine the short–form video advertisement viewing habits of young people within the framework of brain rot and to reveal the “cognitive”, “behavioral”, and “emotional” impacts of habits on youth. In the study, 18 participants aged between 18 and 30 with diverse demographic characteristics were reached using snowball and purposive sampling techniques. The mixed–method approach was adopted in the study. During the experimental phase, the researchers asked participants to watch preselected short–form video advertisements on their smartphones, tailored to their viewing habits, and to verbally express their emotions, thoughts, and reactions to the ads. In the second phase, semi–structured interviews were conducted to reinforce the findings and to gain deeper insights into participants’ short–form video viewing experiences in their daily lives. During viewing, participants reported experiencing distractions, switching to another video, binge–watching, losing track of time, and a sense of repetitive content. It found that short–form video advertisements also caused effects in participants’ daily lives, such as attention deficit, dependency, impatience, and mental fatigue, symptoms commonly associated with brain rot. Furthermore, participants described their prolonged exposure to short video ads with expressions such as “entering a trance,” “ceasing to think,” “brain rot,” and “becoming robotic.”

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies, Digital Advertising

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 11, 2026

Submission Date

May 14, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 18, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 49

APA
Çeber, B. (2026). Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 49, 50-74. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1699459
AMA
1.Çeber B. Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot. TURCOM. 2026;(49):50-74. doi:10.17829/turcom.1699459
Chicago
Çeber, Burak. 2026. “Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, nos. 49: 50-74. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1699459.
EndNote
Çeber B (June 1, 2026) Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi 49 50–74.
IEEE
[1]B. Çeber, “Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot”, TURCOM, no. 49, pp. 50–74, June 2026, doi: 10.17829/turcom.1699459.
ISNAD
Çeber, Burak. “Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi. 49 (June 1, 2026): 50-74. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1699459.
JAMA
1.Çeber B. Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot. TURCOM. 2026;:50–74.
MLA
Çeber, Burak. “Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, no. 49, June 2026, pp. 50-74, doi:10.17829/turcom.1699459.
Vancouver
1.Burak Çeber. Short–Form Video Ads Viewing Habits Among Youth: Cognitive, Behavioral, and Emotional Effects in the Context of Brain Rot. TURCOM. 2026 Jun. 1;(49):50-74. doi:10.17829/turcom.1699459

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