Multi-Screen Behavior: Implications on Media Usage and Advertising Effectiveness

The spread and use of screen-based devices have been steeply increasing with new types of screen-based devices such as tablets, e-readers, and screen-based wearable devices (e.g., Smartchwatches) being introduced to the market. Moreover, traditional screen-based devices such as the television (TV) have been merged with Internet technologies. An industry particularly affected by this increasing use of screen-based devices is the media industry. For instance, consumers frequently use multiple screen-based devices in parallel, switching back and forth between devices. The key objective of this cumulative dissertation is to provide insights into the implications of multi-screen behavior for the media industry. More specifically, we analyze the effect of multi-screen behavior on media usage behavior and on the effectiveness of advertising placed in different media. We conduct empirical analyses to show how consumers interaction with different screen-based devices influences substantive consumer behavior. The results of this dissertation contribute to previous research by (1) leading to a better understanding of the behavioral outcomes of multi-screen behavior, (2) providing knowledge about the mediation and moderation effects of multi-screen behavior on media usage and advertising effectiveness, and (3) applying novel research methodologies that contribute to the understanding of multi-screen behavior at the individual-level and in a more natural research setting.