Motivations Associated with ASMR Mukbang Obsession among Out-of-town University Students in Malang Using Uses Gratifications
A Uses and Gratifications Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55681/armada.v4i9.3859Keywords:
Alienation and Novelty, Audience Motivation, Mukbang ASMR, University Students, Uses and Gratifications TheoryAbstract
The rapid growth of digital media has transformed information and entertainment consumption patterns, including the increasing popularity of Mukbang ASMR content on video-sharing platforms. Combining eating activities with Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), Mukbang ASMR provides an immersive audio-visual experience that attracts university students. Based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), this study aims to identify the dominant motivations influencing students’ consumption of Mukbang ASMR content. A quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design was employed among 430 university students living away from their hometowns in Malang City, Indonesia, who had watched Mukbang ASMR within the last six months. Data were collected through an online questionnaire measuring Alienation and Novelty, Vicarious Satisfaction, and Companionship and Loneliness, and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that all dimensions significantly influence Mukbang ASMR viewing obsession, with Alienation and Novelty as the strongest predictor (β = 0.296; p < 0.001), followed by Vicarious Satisfaction and Companionship and Loneliness. These findings show that Mukbang ASMR consumption is driven by the need for new experiences, psychological escape, indirect satisfaction, and virtual companionship.
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