The next episode begins on its own, and the decision to keep watching was never actually made. What very few viewers realize is that every frame of that transition is the product of a deliberate design choice, one that researchers classify in a specific and unflattering category. What actually happens in the room when credits start to rollHere is the physical sequence, as the researchers documented it. A color wipe across the Next Episode button operates as a visual countdown timer for when the next episode will automatically begin. What researchers say the fix actually looks likeThe University of Chicago team was direct about what the findings imply for platform design.