The Study with Me Phenomenon

Watching other students learn has become a viral phenomenon. The Study with Me movement on social media has become a catastrophic success in the last few years.  StudyStream is a platform that works on the evidence, backed by scientific studies, that the mimicry of watching other people study boosts productivity levels.

Mimicry and motivation

So, what is the science behind accountability and productivity? What is the evidence behind mimicry and watching other people study, how does it work, and most importantly why does it work?

A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology tested if being observed magnifies action and increases productivity. They found that the presence of observers affects the perceptions of people’s behavior. When you experience a shared reality, people magnify their actions when other people are watching. They also discovered that social context influences how people think about what they do.

A deeper dive into a shared reality is that a person feels more validated when another person experiences the same feelings and thoughts that they do. This would explain why students resonate so strongly with each other on online platforms such as StudyStream because they are all having a shared experience of struggling to focus and stay motivated, so they search for this within each other to create a bond of community and togetherness.

Being observed by others also increases self-awareness, the research paper discovered that when there is a presence of a camera or mirror, the participants of the study had a higher self-awareness and paid more attention to their actions. So ultimately, having people watch you studying makes you more accountable. If you see other people doing what you don’t feel motivated to do, you are more likely to do it.

What is Study with Me?

So, what is the Study with Me movement? It’s simply a new phenomenon on the internet where people watch videos of someone else studying, sometimes for hours, in silence or with ambient noise and pleasant aesthetics. The concept is based on the idea that watching someone else study themselves motivates you to do the same. The Study with Me videos became increasingly popular on video-sharing sites, particularly YouTube in the last couple of years.

Where did the phenomenon begin?

Originating in South Korea, the movement began as something called “Gongbang” which loosely translates in English to “study broadcast.” It started with Korean students filming themselves studying for hours as they prepared for their exams, and it quickly became viral and other students from across the world jumped on the new trend.

Finding a community in the digital age

Then communities started to form as students teamed up to motivate each other. Especially during the pandemic, students found themselves feeling isolated and overwhelmed when in-person classrooms were replaced by virtual classes. With the help of technology, online study videos created a bond between students across different continents to inspire each other to complete their tasks. StudyStream offers a haven for students to come together and stay connected. If you want to be part of the StudyStream community, simply join the web app now and make new friends whilst you study. There is also a large community on the StudyStream Discord.

Focus Rooms at StudyStream

If you want to find focus, why not try out one of the Focus Rooms at StudyStream? Avoid distractions and come online to study with others. There is no talking or ambient music, just hardworking students individually working but giving each other silent support to keep going.