EXPLORING THE TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF PUBLIC ONLINE ATTENTION TOWARD THE SOCIALLY-THEMED FILM NO MORE BETS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

In the digital age, public attention to cultural products is increasingly reflected in online search behavior, providing a valuable means of examining the diffusion and long-term social influence of media content. Using the Baidu Index, this study investigates the temporal dynamics of public online attention toward the Chinese social-issue film No More Bets. Search data for the keyword “guzhuyizhi” were collected from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2025, and examined in relation to key temporal nodes, including the film’s theatrical and streaming releases, public-security campaigns, and socially significant events. A multi-step analytical strategy combining descriptive time-series analysis, peak detection, event mapping, long-tail analysis, and cross-platform comparison was employed to identify patterns and drivers of attention change. The results reveal a three-stage trajectory of “surge–sustain–resonance.” The surge phase in August 2023 was primarily driven by the theatrical release and intensive promotion, while the sustain phase from September to December 2023 was reinforced by streaming availability, platform interaction, and continued user engagement. During the subsequent resonance phase, public attention displayed a pronounced long-tail pattern with periodic peaks corresponding to recurring social agenda nodes, including Chinese People’s Police Day, the back-to-school period, and National Constitution Day. Mobile search volume substantially exceeded PC-based search volume, highlighting the importance of mobile and fragmented communication environments in sustaining public attention. These findings suggest that the enduring online vitality of socially themed films depends not only on initial publicity but also on agenda fusion, platform affordances, risk‑related collective memory, and alignment with recurring social rhythms. The study demonstrates how a commercially successful film can evolve into a repeatedly activated media event and provides empirical and theoretical insights into the sustained communication of socially consequential cultural products.

Keywords: No More Bets, Baidu index, online attention, temporal dynamics, agenda melding

Ethics and Conflict of Interest

The authors of the study acted in accordance with ethical rules in all processes of the research. The authors declare unequivocally that there are no financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest that could have influenced the study’s design, execution, or reporting.

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