The "Scroll" Culture: How Short-Form Video Content is Reshaping Global Consumer Habits

Abstract

The rapid ascent of short-form video (SFV) platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, has catalysed a fundamental shift in digital engagement, giving rise to what is now termed "Scroll Culture". This research explores how hyper-personalized algorithmic feeds are reshaping global consumer habits across three multidisciplinary domains: business, cinema, and tourism. Adopting a positivist research philosophy and a mixed-methods approach, the study utilizes a multi-stage stratified random sampling strategy to analyze a microcosm of 100 digital consumers. The primary objective is to investigate the transition from passive media consumption to active consumer decision-making, specifically focusing on impulse purchase triggers and the "Time Distortion" effect caused by dopaminergic reward loops. Preliminary findings suggest that the global nature of these algorithms creates universal behavioural patterns, where high algorithmic trust directly correlates with increased purchase intent and travel aspirations. This paper provides a critical roadmap for understanding the future of the creative economy, highlighting the tension between viral content sustainability and long-term brand equity in a high-velocity digital marketplace.