Although physical media offers various advantages over streaming and digital downloads, collecting it doesn’t necessarily come without challenges. For example, depending on where you live, finding somewhere to actually buy DVDs, Blu-rays, and vinyl records in-person could be a struggle.

Even if you have access to a quality physical media retailer (or you don’t mind ordering all your discs and records online), you might be reluctant to fully embrace the physical media trend for fear of coming across as, well, pretentious. When vinyl first made a comeback, there was no shortage of jokes about hipsters pretending the format simply offers greater “warmth” than digital formats.

It’s understandable if you don’t want your hobby to make you the target of similar jabs. Luckily, there’s science you can cite to explain why you’re being honest when you claim to prefer the physical media experience. As it turns out, research provides some very real explanations for why engaging with content in a physical media format may actually be more enjoyable than engaging with the same content digitally.

The unboxing ritual is real

Research shows an item appears more valuable when it’s removed from a box

Ask a physical media enthusiast to explain why they’d rather watch a Blu-ray or listen to a vinyl record than pull up a streaming app, and they may mention the “ritual” of the process as a key factor. While choosing content via an app feels a little too similar to passive doomscrolling, consuming content through physical media involves such steps as browsing through your home library, unboxing a disc, and placing it in whatever device you’re using to play it. Just as presentation can make a difference in how enjoyable a meal is, the ritualistic aspect of physical media could add a unique quality that’s absent from the streaming or digital download experience.

There’s research to support this argument. In 2015, the Journal of Consumer Psychology published a paper titled “Decoding the opening process.” In this paper, researchers describe the results of five experiments designed to measure how the process of removing items from a box (or merely seeing them removed from a box) can trigger positive feelings. According to the researcher’s findings, the experience of watching a box being opened and seeing its contents removed can actually be so pleasant that it causes observers to place greater value on those contents. In other words, something being unboxed makes that “something” appear more valuable.

This research may help explain why the ritual of watching or listening to physical media content can feel like a real and distinct experience for many of us. While streaming and digital downloads only require us to click on a title, physical media typically forces us to remove an item from its packaging in a way that, according to science, might be inherently pleasing.

Rituals in general influence the quality of our experiences

Studies demonstrate rituals enhance how pleasant an experience may be

Removing the disc from its box or sleeve is, again, just one step in the ritual so many physical media fans rave about. Depending on the specific type of physical media you’re engaging with, your process can involve additional steps that contribute to the feeling of a ritual. Something as basic as placing a vinyl record on a record player or turntable may be enough to make the experience feel more ritualistic than browsing Spotify could ever feel.

Once again, research bolsters this side of the pro-physical media perspective. In the paper “Rituals enhance consumption” from the journal Psychological Science, researchers demonstrate how adding ritualistic elements to the process of consuming various foods can cause participants to rate those foods as more flavorful and valuable.

It’s easy to understand how these findings could apply to the physical media experience. Because you essentially have to complete the steps in a ritual before you can watch a disc or listen to a record, you’re consuming content in a way that’s shown to enhance how you ultimately feel about that content.

Physically touching an item increases feelings of ownership

Science says you feel like you own something more when you hold it in your hands

It’s important to remember that physical media offers some very practical advantages over digital counterparts. It’s not all “I don’t know, man, I just vibe with the ritual of physical media more.” For example, physical media allows you to “own” a piece of content in a way that’s not guaranteed with digital downloads and streaming services.

Another paper from the Journal of Consumer Psychology provides even more evidence for the claim that physical media is something you can feel more ownership of. This paper, titled “In Search of a Surrogate for Touch: The Effect of Haptic Imagery on Perceived Ownership” references past research that shows how owning an item can increase how valuable we perceive that item to be.

Perhaps more importantly, research also shows that physically touching an item can produce this effect. The researchers behind this paper took the previous research a step further by showing that you don’t even need to actually touch an item to have this experience. All you have to do is imagine or visualize touching the item to trigger the reaction.

You can’t actually touch digital content. That could mean you’ll never be able to feel like you own it the way you can with physical media.

Nostalgia really is ‘delicate but potent’

The nostalgia factor of physical media plays a big role in your feelings about it

Those who claim the physical media renaissance is just a trend for the pretentious will sometimes resort to the “It’s just nostalgia!” line to dismiss the real enjoyment we can get from collecting physical media. Well, first of all, as Don Draper certainly knew, nostalgia can be powerful.

Second of all, science confirms that a little nostalgia can add to an experience. In a paper from the Journal of Personal and Social Psychology called “Nostalgia: content, triggers, and functions,” researchers show how causing people to experience feelings of nostalgia can generate other positive emotions. Nostalgia can also increase a sense of being connected with others, in case you needed another reason to opt for physical media entertainment during your get-togethers with friends.

Physical media offers a quality experience that you may be wired to enjoy

According to research, you’re not wrong if you honestly feel like physical media adds something to the way you experience content. Don’t let the naysayers argue you it’s all a pretense you’ve convinced yourself is true. In reality, the science is thoroughly on your side.

And remember, there are other, practical reasons to invest in physical media. For example, Blu-rays may offer better picture quality than streaming options. On top of that, with a physical copy of a movie, show, or album, you don’t have to worry about losing access, like you do with streaming and digital copies. The fact that studies indicate the brain might be wired to appreciate the physical media experience is simply another reason to comfortably indulge in this hobby.