Motives and Enjoyment of Watching Dash Cam Videos on Social Media: A Phenomenological Study on Generation Z in Semarang

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-603-1_19How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Dash Cam Videos; Social Media; Generation Z; Phenomenology; Uses and Gratification

Abstract

The consumption of user-generated dash cam footage has surged on social media, yet the specific psychological drivers behind this niche viewership remain underexplored. Grounded in the Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study investigates the underlying motives and enjoyment derived from watching dash cam videos. Adopting a qualitative descriptive method with a phenomenological approach, the research focuses on the lived experiences of Generation Z. As digital natives for whom media integration is seamless, nine participants were selected for in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis reveals eight distinct motives driving viewership: 1) Passing time, 2) Companionship, 3) Escape, 4) Enjoyment, 5) Social Interaction, 6) Relaxation, 7) Information acquisition, and 8) Excitement. These findings suggest a complex viewing behavior where audiences seek both utilitarian values, such as road safety awareness, and emotional gratification. Consequently, the results validate the application of Uses and Gratifications Theory to this genre, demonstrating that dash cam viewers are active participants satisfying specific psychological needs rather than passive consumers of viral content.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Taruna Budiono
AU  - Ratna Asih Setyaningrum
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/04
TI  - Motives and Enjoyment of Watching Dash Cam Videos on Social Media: A Phenomenological Study on Generation Z in Semarang
BT  - Proceedings of the International Moving Image Cultures Conference (IMOVICCON 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 222
EP  - 240
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-603-1_19
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-603-1_19
ID  - Budiono2026
ER  -