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... This suggests that users with the FOMO are likely to pay more attention to others' social media dynamics (Milyavskaya et al., 2018;Tandon et al., 2021) and spend considerable time observing others' profiles and activities . Elhai et al. (2016) found a positive correlation between the FOMO and the frequency of social media use and stalking behaviors. Buglass et al. (2017) identified the FOMO as a primary driver for social media stalking, noting that users exhibiting a high FOMO engage in more frequent stalking to mitigate their anxiety of missing out on social information. ...
... H2 indicates that the FOMO increases users' propensity for social media stalking, driven by concerns about potential rivals or a desire to manage their social environment. H3 shows a positive correlation between the FOMO and usage fatigue, suggesting that excessive reliance on dating apps due to the FOMO can lead to psychological and emotional exhaustion (Elhai et al., 2016), negatively affecting users' engagement with the app and their well-being. ...
... This reduction promotes a positive emotional state towards social media use, referred to as the JOMO. This finding is consistent with Elhai et al. (2016), who observed that continuous online engagement can lead to usage fatigue, driving users towards the JOMO-the experience of contentment outside the digital realm. Our study demonstrates how the FOMO leads to usage fatigue and facilitates the transition to the JOMO through psychological and behavioral pathways such as self-disclosure and social media stalking. ...
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This research explores the psychological transition that occurs in dating app users from the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) to the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) using the Stressor–Strain–Outcome (SSO) model. An online survey of 410 Tinder users reveals that the FOMO significantly influences self-disclosure and social media stalking behaviors, which leads to user fatigue and eventually the JOMO. This survey also finds that privacy concerns play a moderating role in this process. In particular, the results show that a heightened FOMO increases self-disclosure and social media stalking, which intensifies fatigue and fosters the JOMO. Privacy concerns significantly modulate the relationship between the FOMO, fatigue, and the JOMO, thus playing a critical role in user interactions with dating apps. These insights help elucidate the socio-psychological behaviors of dating app users and can inform app design to reduce fatigue and enhance user well-being.
... Por otro lado, tanto la autoestima como la regulación emocional fueron consideradas como variables mediadoras entre la adicción y el uso problemático del Smartphone y otras variables. Wang et al. (2017) mostraron que la autoestima es una mediadora parcial entre la relación interpersonal entre estudiantes y la adicción al Smartphone, y Elhai et al. (2016) revelaron que la supresión emocional es mediadora entre el uso problemático de teléfonos inteligentes y la ansiedad. ...
... Si esta situación es frecuente, puede derivar en mayores niveles de ansiedad, dificultades para establecer una comunicación fluida y menor capacidad para expresar emociones. La correlación encontrada entre estas dos variables coincide con los resultados de otros estudios que señalan que los usuarios con uso excesivo del móvil presentaban dificultades para la expresión de emociones o la supresión emocional (Cutuli, 2014;Elhai et al., 2016). ...
... En último lugar, al igual que menciona Ruiz-Palmero et al. (2016) el "Gasto Monetario en Aplicaciones y Juegos Móviles" aparece como variable predictora en este estudio. Según Elhai et al. (2016), un uso del móvil enfocado a observar videos o juegos se relacionaría con comportamientos adictivos del uso de estos dispositivos, más que un uso social de los mismos como llamar y enviar mensajes o usar las redes sociales. Autores como Rozgonjuk y Elhai (2021) consideran que las personas con dificultades en habilidades sociales pueden ser más propensas al uso de aplicaciones lúdicas con preferencia sobre un uso más social. ...
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El uso del Smartphone está plenamente extendido en los adolescentes. Numerosos estudios advierten de riesgos para la salud como la nomofobia. El objetivo de este estudio fue explorar las relaciones entre la autoestima, la regulación emocional, así como algunos factores familiares y académicos en el uso del Smartphone. Participaron 150 estudiantes gallegos entre 12 y 18 años (M =14,54; DT = 1,46) y el 61,3% de los padres (N=92). Los padres respondieron a un único cuestionario demográfico y sobre el uso del móvil de sus hijos. Los estudiantes completaron cuatro cuestionarios: usos de Smartphone, autoestima, regulación emocional y la EDAS (Escala de Adicción y Dependencia al Smartphone). Con los resultados de esta escala se clasificaron a los participantes en tres grupos: dependientes, no dependientes y adicción (nomofobia) para ejecutar una regresión logística. Los resultados revelaron que la autoestima (Exp (ß) = 0,75), los síntomas físicos (Exp (ß)=0,27), gasto en aplicaciones (Exp (ß)=3,12) y el uso nocturno del móvil (Exp (ß)=4,10) predicen el posible desarrollo de la nomofobia. Estos resultados sugieren la necesidad de promover la autoestima mediante programas de intervención, así como hábitos saludables (i.e. sueño) que contribuyan a la prevención de la nomofobia.
... Moreover, psychological variables such as fear of missing out (FoMO) (e.g., Abel et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2016Elhai et al., , 2017aElhai et al., , b, 2020aPrzybylski et al., 2013;Servidio, 2023;Servidio et al., 2024) and psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, stress, and depression) may play an important role in the risk of developing problematic behaviors related to both social media use and smartphone use (e.g., Dempsey et al., 2019;Elhai et al., 2017a, b;Soraci et al., 2023). ...
... The phenomenon of FoMO (fear of missing out), is becoming increasingly prevalent in psychological discourse, particularly in light of the growing use of social media and the pervasiveness of smartphones (Przybylski et al., 2013;Elhai et al., 2016;Servidio, 2023;Tao et al., 2024;Wang et al., 2024). Smartphones provide users with constant and immediate access to social platforms, facilitating continuous monitoring of others' activities. ...
... Consequently, a vicious circle is created: personal dissatisfaction, associated with an inability to fulfil fundamental needs for autonomy, competence, and relationships, encourages individuals to seek solace in social media use. However, this transient solace rapidly evolves into intensified distress and exasperation, further exacerbating the sensation of exclusion or isolation, resulting in further deterioration in life satisfaction (Beyens et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2016;Kross et al., 2013). ...
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Low life satisfaction has often been associated with problematic social media use (PSMU), problematic smartphone use (PSU), FoMO and psychological distress. However, no studies have analyzed the relationship between life satisfaction, PSMU, PSU, FoMO, and psychological distress, in an integrated model. The present study hypothesized that life satisfaction may influence PSMU and PSU through the role of FoMO and psychological distress. A cross-sectional survey completed by 537 Italians (82.9% females [n = 445] and 17.1% males [n = 92], mean age = 35.35 years [SD ± 12.14]), included the Satisfaction With Life Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, and Fear of Missing Out Scale. The results indicated direct negative associations between life satisfaction and both PSMU and PSU. Additionally, the findings indicated that both FoMO and psychological distress acted as full mediators in this complex relationship, suggesting that problematic technology use may be driven by emotional vulnerabilities such as fear of social exclusion and heightened levels of psychological distress. The present study contributes to understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between life satisfaction, fear of missing out, psychological distress, and problematic technology use, offering insights for potential interventions aimed at reducing the negative impact of technology on well-being.
... In general, the results of previous studies (Balta et al., 2018;Elhai, Gallinari, et al., 2020;Elhai, Levine, Dvorak, & Hall, 2016;Elhai, Vasquez, et al., 2018;Eraslan-Capan, 2015;Hussain et al., 2024;Lin et al., 2021;Seabrook et al., 2016;Wolniewicz et al., 2020) are in line with the I-PACE model, and show that these variables (i.e., psychological distress, interpersonal sensitivity, trait-FoMO, boredom and state-FoMO with the severity of problematic use of social media) are associated. However, there have been criticisms for some studies. ...
... Also, studies examining the simultaneous effect of depression, anxiety, and stress on social media with the mediation of cognitive and emotional variables have not been conducted. In some studies, depression and anxiety have been examined with the mediation of boredom and FoMO (Elhai, Gallinari, et al., 2020;Elhai et al., 2016;Hussain et al., 2020;Yan Wang et al., 2022;Wolniewicz et al., 2020), and some other studies have evaluated depression, anxiety and stress without the mediation of boredom and FoMO (Brailovskaia, Truskauskaite-Kuneviciene, Kazlauskas, & Margraf, 2021;Hussain & Griffiths, 2019). Moreover, the effect of interpersonal sensitivity as a predisposing variable with mediating variables on the use of social media has not previously been studied. ...
... Also, girls and adolescents with more severe depression and anxiety are more inclined to use social media problematically (Keles, McCrae, & Grealish, 2020). To avoid experiencing the fear of missing out of friends, the compulsion to use social media is greater (Elhai, Levine, Alghraibeh, et al., 2018;Elhai et al., 2016). Also, studies have shown that being of younger age is associated with higher levels of PSMU. ...
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Background With the widespread use of social media, the potential for problematic use has increased, making it crucial to understand the factors influencing its development and maintenance. Based on the I-PACE theory (through interaction of predisposing and mediating variables), the present exploratory study investigated the relationships between psychological distress, interpersonal sensitivity, and trait-FoMO with the severity of problematic social media use (PSMU) through boredom and state-FoMO as serial mediating variables. Method Using an online survey, 1033 participants (71% females; Mage = 28.74 years [SD ± 9.2]) completed the Social Networking Addiction Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure, Fear of Missing Out Questionnaire, and Short Boredom Proneness Scale. Results Analysis using structural equation modeling showed significant associations between PSMU and depression, stress, and interpersonal sensitivity, with the serial mediation of boredom and state-FoMO playing a significant role in these associations. However, anxiety did not demonstrate a significant direct association with PSMU, nor did it play a significant role through the serial mediation of boredom and state-FoMO. Conclusion The present study suggests that trait-FoMO as a predisposing variable and state-FoMO as mediating variable have a significant relationship with PSMU and other variables, and is the first study to examine the serial mediating roles of boredom and state-FoMO in PSMU.
... Instagram feed dependency refers to the reliance on the Instagram feed as a primary source of emotional well-being and a means of coping with negative emotions (Elhai et al., 2019;Kwon et al., 2013;Sâ rbu et al., 2022). Individuals experiencing appearance-related anxiety may become increasingly dependent on their Instagram feeds to escape or distract themselves from their anxieties. ...
... Individuals experiencing appearance-related anxiety may become increasingly dependent on their Instagram feeds to escape or distract themselves from their anxieties. Research indicates that this dependency often stems from a need for validation and social comparison, which can temporarily alleviate appearance-related distress (Elhai et al., 2019;Kwon et al., 2013). However, this reliance on the platform may reinforce addictive behaviors and hinder the development of healthier coping strategies, as noted in studies on problematic social media use and emotional regulation (Sâ rbu et al., 2022) Authors (Elhai et al., 2019) examined the associations between social media dependency, fear of missing out (FOMO), and problematic Instagram use. ...
... Research indicates that this dependency often stems from a need for validation and social comparison, which can temporarily alleviate appearance-related distress (Elhai et al., 2019;Kwon et al., 2013). However, this reliance on the platform may reinforce addictive behaviors and hinder the development of healthier coping strategies, as noted in studies on problematic social media use and emotional regulation (Sâ rbu et al., 2022) Authors (Elhai et al., 2019) examined the associations between social media dependency, fear of missing out (FOMO), and problematic Instagram use. The findings suggested that individuals with appearance-related concerns were more likely to exhibit higher levels of Instagram feed dependency and experience negative consequences associated with excessive Instagram use. ...
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This study aimed to explore the indirect effects of appearance-related anxiety (ARA) on Instagram addiction (IA) through sequential mediators, namely social media activity intensity (SMAI) and Instagram feed dependency (IFD). The study also aimed to provide theoretical explanations for the observed relationships and contribute to the understanding of the complex interplay between appearance-related concerns, social media usage, and addictive behaviors in the context of IA. A sample of 306 participants was used for the analysis. The results of the sequential mediation analysis (SMA) revealed several important findings. Firstly, the mediation model demonstrated that SMAI mediated the relationship between ARA and IA. However, there was no direct relationship observed between ARA and SMAI. Secondly, the analysis showed that IFD acted as a second mediator in the relationship between ARA and IA. Both ARA and SMAI had significant direct effects on IA, indicating their individual contributions to addictive behaviors. Furthermore, the total effect model confirmed a positive relationship between ARA and IA. This finding suggests that ARA has a direct influence on the development of IA. The examination of indirect effects revealed that ARA indirectly influenced IA through the sequential mediators of SMAI, IFD, and ultimately IA itself. The completely standardized indirect effect of ARA on IA through these mediators was found to be significant. Overall, this study provides evidence for the indirect effects of ARA on IA and highlights the mediating roles of SMAI and IFD. These findings contribute to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying the complex relationship between appearance-related concerns, social media usage, and the development of IA.
... Social media platforms provide a unique opportunity to 'stay in touch' with one's social environment and stay continuously informed about activities that others do. However, frequent checking of social media sites to maintain social connections may contribute and strengthen FoMO (Elhai et al., 2016;Wang et al., 2019), creating a vicious circle from which it is very difficult to escape (Coco et al., 2020). A side effect of this may be nomophobia, or the experience of anxiety that arises when one's smartphone is outside the person's reach and they then cannot contact others or cannot stay up to date (Wen et al., 2023). ...
... Relevant to our study, university students are increasingly affected by loneliness, which has a great impact on their well-being (Hysing et al., 2020). Loneliness has indeed been found to be related to FoMO (Elhai et al., 2016;Przybylski et al., 2013). During the Covid-19 pandemic, a positive relationship between loneliness and FoMO was argued on the basis of the desire for relatedness and belongingness (Huynh et al., 2022). ...
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A growing number of studies have focused on understanding the phenomenon known as Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and the factors contributing to it. This study examines the potential role of psychological variables that refer to self-evaluation in relation to others, such as social media addiction, social comparison, perfectionism, and loneliness. Hungarian university students (N = 255; 70.6 % females, aged between 18 and 35 years, M age = 23.61 years; SD = 4.59) completed an online survey during the fall semester of the academic year 2023/2024. Based on correlation, multiple regression and path analysis, we found that social comparison was the strongest predictor of FoMO (β = 0.43, p < .001). While social media addiction (β = 0.20, p < .001), loneliness (β = 0.13, p < .01), and perfectionism (β = 0.14, p < .05) also contributed directly to FoMO, these variables also served as mediators in the link between social comparison and FoMO. These findings draw attention to the need for social skills training in which students can learn to successfully handle various social situations. In addition, mindfulness-based intervention may help them become more conscious during online activities and they can better understand the role of social comparison in concrete social situations. Developing educational materials for students to inform them about the nature of FoMO and how to manage it would also be useful to improve the users' digital resilience of users. Recently, a growing body of research has focused on Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). This type of anxiety is defined by Przybylski et al. (2013) as a fear of missing out on rewarding social experiences. Since frequent experience of FoMO is associated with unfavorable outcomes, such as negative feelings, fatigue, stress, decreased vitality, physical symptoms, and poor sleep (Fabris et al., 2020; Milyavskaya et al., 2018), there is a need to further investigate its characteristics and antecedents, particularly in young populations, in order to inform prevention and/or intervention strategies.
... Previous studies have found that young people who experience high levels of FoMO may develop a tendency for excessive social media usage, potentially leading to addictive behaviors (Elhai et al., 2016). This tendency has a negative influence on university students' mental health, contributing to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and obsessivecompulsive symptoms (Andreassen et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2020), as well as lower levels of psychological well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) and self-esteem (Alt, 2018;Błachnio & Przepiorka, 2019). ...
... Research has shown a strong link between FoMO and online social anxiety (Jiang et al., 2020). Specifically, FoMO has been found to lead to excessive or addictive social media use (Alt, 2015;Elhai et al., 2016;Fuster et al., 2017). One of the primary mechanisms by which FoMO influences social anxiety is through social comparison theory, whereby individuals continually assess themselves in light of the perceived experiences of others (Wood, 1989). ...
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With the rapid growth of internet mobile technology, recent research has increasingly focused on the mental health challenges faced by young people, particularly in relation to social media use. One significant concern is the impact of the fear of missing out (FoMO) and online social anxiety, yet the underlying mechanisms that link these factors remain largely unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the role of FoMO in predicting online social anxiety among university students, with a particular focus on understanding how irrational procrastination and media multitasking may mediate this relationship. In total, 451 university students completed a survey on demographics, FoMO, online social anxiety, irrational procrastination, and media multitasking questionnaires. After controlling for demographic variables, the findings revealed that (a) FoMO showed a significant positive correlation with online social anxiety; (b) the connection between FoMO and online social anxiety in university students was partially mediated by irrational procrastination; and (c) the connection between FoMO and online social anxiety in university students was partially mediated by media multitasking. This research contributes to the understanding of the psychological mechanisms that link FoMO to online social anxiety, offering insights that can inform interventions aimed at improving university students’ mental health in the digital age.
... The ways individuals interact with digital technologies, from social media platforms to online gaming and the perpetual allure of smartphones, are becoming increasingly complex and problematic. Digital engagement in communication, work, and socialization leads to transformative changes and gives rise to complex issues associated with excessive and compulsive usage (Elhai et al., 2016;Wegmann et al., 2019). Problematic digital technology usage not only affects individual well-being but also disrupts societal fabric. ...
... Social isolation can be both an objective condition, determined by the number of social connections, and a subjective experience, influenced by the perceived quality and depth of these connections. Often manifesting as geographic isolation, it signifies restricted access to social networks and support (Elhai et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2017). ...
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As the prevalence of digital technology increases, issues related to its use have also become more widespread. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure the perceptions of university students, assumed to experience problematic digital technology use, regarding their usage patterns. During the scale development process, a literature review was conducted to identify common themes, factors, causes, and consequences of problematic digital technology use. Subsequently, in the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with university students to gather their views, which were used to create an initial pool of scale items reflecting problematic digital technology use. In the next stage, a pilot study was conducted, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to refine and simplify the scale items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify the dimensions of digital technology use, and overlapping items were removed to improve the scale. The factor analysis revealed that the scale consisted of three factors: Loss of Impulse Control, Social Isolation, and Physical and Mental Fatigue. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the stability of the factor structure, and Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis was performed to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale. The analysis indicated that the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient demonstrated a high level of internal consistency (0.918). In conclusion, the scale developed was found to be a reliable and valid tool for researchers and practitioners aiming to assess problematic digital technology use.
... Alongside paranoid ideation, the phenomenon of fear of missing out (FoMO) has emerged as a significant concern in contemporary mental health. Defined as the pervasive apprehension that one is missing out on rewarding experiences, FoMO is closely linked to social media use, problematic smartphone behaviors, and increased susceptibility to anxiety and depression (Elhai et al., 2020;Elhai et al., 2016). Fioravanti et al. (2021) conducted a metaanalysis highlighting the strong association between FoMO and social networking site use, noting that individuals with higher FoMO are more prone to depressive and anxious symptoms (Fioravanti et al., 2021). ...
... The improvements sustained over the five-month follow-up indicate that psychodynamic therapy may provide a durable intervention for emotional resilience, as observed in Roffman et al.'s (2014) study on neural changes posttherapy (Roffman et al., 2014). Furthermore, the sustained reduction in FoMO reflects the therapy's role in reshaping participants' perceptions of self-worth and social connection, suggesting that psychodynamic approaches may be particularly relevant in our increasingly connected, comparison-driven society (Elhai et al., 2020;Elhai et al., 2016;Wen et al., 2023). ...
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Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in reducing symptoms of paranoid thoughts, depression, and fear of missing out (FoMO) in adult women. Methods and Materials: A randomized controlled trial design was employed, with 30 adult women from Tehran randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving 12 weekly sessions of psychodynamic therapy or a control group with no intervention. Each group contained 15 participants, and outcomes were assessed at three time points: baseline, post-intervention, and five-month follow-up. Key variables measured included paranoid thoughts, depression, and FoMO, with data collected using standardized psychological tools. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS-27, with repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests to assess within-group and between-group differences across stages. Findings: The intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in all three variables—paranoid thoughts, depression, and FoMO—compared to the control group. ANOVA results revealed significant group and time effects, particularly for FoMO, where the intervention group showed a marked decrease from baseline to follow-up. Bonferroni post-hoc tests further indicated that these reductions were sustained over time, suggesting durable therapeutic effects of psychodynamic therapy on emotional resilience and symptom management. Conclusion: Psychodynamic therapy appears effective in addressing paranoid thoughts, depression, and FoMO by helping individuals explore underlying relational conflicts and unconscious drivers. These findings underscore psychodynamic therapy’s value as a complementary approach to more structured therapeutic methods, particularly for individuals with complex, interconnected psychological symptoms. Integrating psychodynamic approaches into clinical practice may enhance long-term emotional resilience and reduce relapse risks.
... Particularly in the face of intense emotions, some individuals may lose control over their actions, ignoring the potential consequences of excessive smartphone use and even seeking high levels of stimulation. These individuals often rely on smartphones to regulate their emotions (Elhai and Contractor, 2018;Rozgonjuk and Elhai, 2021;Elhai et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2018a). Although these theoretical models provide a framework for understanding how emotional factors influence smartphone usage, existing research primarily focuses on the effects of long-term emotional states and pathological conditions, overlooking the immediate impact of daily emotional fluctuations on smartphone use behavior. ...
... In this figure, only the observed variables for the latent constructs of anxiety, stress, and depression are shown, corresponding to the items from the DASS-21 scale. research that suggests negative emotions foster frequent smartphone use for emotional regulation (Billieux et al., 2015;Elhai et al., 2017;Rozgonjuk and Elhai, 2021;Chiu Shao, 2014;Elhai et al., 2016;Elhai et al., 2018a;Cui et al., 2023;Chen et al., 2022;Yue et al., 2021;Elhai et al., 2019;Shi et al., 2023). Conversely, the impact of positive emotional experiences on smartphone addiction is not significant, possibly due to their influence through multiple mediating pathways with opposing effects, which neutralize each other when mediating variables are not considered, or potentially because the direct influence is masked by these mediators. ...
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Introduction The theoretical model of smartphone addiction highlights the role of emotional factors in fostering addictive behaviors. However, most research has focused on long-term emotional states and pathologies, often overlooking the immediate effects of daily emotional fluctuations on smartphone usage and their mechanisms. Methods Our study employed an online survey and a moderated parallel mediation model to explore how daily emotional experiences influence smartphone addiction among college students. We analyzed the mediating roles of anxiety, stress, and depression, and the moderating effect of gender. Results Our findings indicate that daily negative emotional experiences were positively correlated with smartphone addiction, with stress serving as a significant mediator in the relationship between both positive and negative emotional experiences and addiction. Interestingly, positive emotional experiences directly increased smartphone addiction risk among female students, but they also significantly reduced stress and depression, especially pronounced in women. Further analysis indicated that positive emotions primarily mitigate addiction through reducing stress, a pathway especially significant in females. Discussion The study not only confirms the substantial impact of emotional experiences on addiction but also deepens our understanding of their mechanisms, underlining the importance of considering the nature of emotional experiences and gender-specific effects in devising prevention and intervention strategies.
... In recent years, the addiction of college students to short videos has become increasingly pronounced. As early as 2015, in a Pew Research poll, nearly half of Americans stated they "could not live without a smartphone" (Elhai et al., 2016)". Many people frequently experience the illusion of phone vibrations even without receiving calls, revealing a significant impact of over-reliance on phones in daily life, with SVA being a typical manifestation. ...
... This suggests that negative emotions could lead to a heightened dependence on the internet, mobile phones, and short videos (Taipale, 2017). Supporting this, research by Elhai et al. (2016) and Flores Mosri (2019) has demonstrated a significant relationship between internet addiction and both depression and anxiety. It appears, therefore, that a maladaptive cycle is at play, where depression and anxiety not only result from but also contribute to further internet addiction, as noted by Mohammed et al., (2020). ...
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Background Short video addiction (SVA) among college students is influenced by personality traits, namely, neuroticism and agreeableness. However, the role of depression and anxiety as mediators remains unclear. Objective This study aims to explore the mediating role of comorbid depression and anxiety in the relationship between different dimensions of university students’ personalities and SVA. Methods The SPSS PROCESS was utilized to analyze data from 804 university students across seven universities in China. Results The findings show that neuroticism, agreeableness, and extraversion in the personalities of Chinese university students are all significantly linked to SVA; neuroticism and agreeableness in the personalities of university students have a greater impact on SVA; both neuroticism and agreeableness can first induce depression and then lead to anxiety and SVA, whereas only agreeableness can first lead to anxiety and then result in depression and SVA. Conclusion This study uncovers the intricate relationship between personality traits and SVA among college students, emphasizing depression and anxiety as critical chain mediators in this relationship. It reveals that neuroticism and agreeableness significantly influence SVA through specific pathways involving depression and anxiety, indicating that interventions targeting these traits are essential.
... They may check messages on social software more frequently for fear of missing out on exciting content or important information . Studies have shown that FMO is positively correlated with smartphone addiction (Billieux et al., 2015;Elhai et al., 2016;Fuster et al., 2017). Furthermore, Wu and Yang (2021) found that college students who have PRD tend to be more easy to experience FMO, and thus more prone to phubbing. ...
... Therefore, the higher an individual's relative level of deprivation, the higher their level of FMO. Furthermore, it is an important finding that the occurrence of PMPU is predicted by FMO, which strengthens the research on the relationship of FMO and PMPU (Clayton et al., 2015;Elhai et al., 2016), and broadens the perspective of SDT (Deci & Ryan, 1985). As previously mentioned, SDT (Chai et al., 2018) emphasizes The predictive roles of PRD on PMPU Hypothesis 1 is supported by the prediction of PRD to the outcome of PMPU among adolescents and college students. ...
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Problematic mobile phone use is a common phenomenon for adolescents and college students, which seriously harms students` physical and mental health. Why were students caught in problematic mobile phone use? Some subtle psychology process which involves personal relative deprivation, stress, and fear of missing out, may be crucial. To reveal the psychological process, this study used a cross-sectional survey design to explore the associations among variables mentioned above and problematic mobile phone use of adolescents and college students in China. We recruited 863 participants (Mage = 18.70, SD = 2.15) which contain 330 middle school students (Mage = 16.33, SD = 1.36) and 533 college students (Mage = 20.06, SD = 1.06) in the study. The results shown that: (1) personal relative deprivation can predict problematic mobile phone use; (2) stress and fear of missing out serve as parallel mediating roles between personal relative deprivation and problematic mobile phone use. These findings demonstrate the psychological process through which personal relative deprivation contributes to problematic mobile phone use, suggesting that managing stress and alleviating fear of missing out may be beneficial countermeasures to prevent and/or intervene in problematic mobile phone use of adolescents and college students.
... However, the lack of need fulfillment can lead to negative emotional outcomes. Research warns that when technology fails to satisfy users' psychological needs for escapism or social interaction, emotional stress such as anxiety may arise (Elhai et al., 2016). Similarly, unmet expectations for social gratification can also result in negative emotional responses (Thorisdottir et al., 2019). ...
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Introduction This study explores the implementation of Intelligent Customer Service (ICS) in pharmaceutical e-commerce, aiming to enhance user acceptance and service efficiency while addressing the psychological factors influencing user behavior. It expands the boundaries of technology acceptance research by focusing on ICS use and avoidance in high-risk environments. Method A total of 418 valid questionnaires were collected from participants, ensuring data quality through rigorous screening. The study employed SPSS for data normality tests and SmartPLS for structural equation modeling to analyze the relationships between emotional stress, system overload, and user avoidance behavior. Results The findings indicate that system overload, information overload, and service overload significantly contribute to user emotional stress, which in turn drives avoidance behavior. The analysis revealed strong explanatory power ( R ² values ranging from 0.450 to 0.586) and confirmed the mediating role of emotional stress in the relationship between overload factors and user avoidance. Discussion This research highlights the critical role of emotional stress in user interactions with ICS, suggesting that pharmaceutical e-commerce companies must refine their ICS design to meet diverse user needs and reduce cognitive burdens. By leveraging big data and establishing robust feedback mechanisms, companies can enhance user experience and loyalty. The study also identifies limitations in demographic representation and suggests future research should incorporate qualitative methods for a deeper understanding of user behavior.
... For example, during periods of elevated negative affect or loneliness, individuals may turn to social media platforms on their smartphones to seek social connection and alleviate negative emotions. Existing research, indeed, suggests that when people are feeling lonely, anxious, or bored, they may turn to their smartphones as a way of avoiding facing these negative emotions (Elhai et al., 2016) or coping with the situation with distraction (Siebers et al., 2022;Stevic & Matthes, 2023;Wolfers & Utz, 2022). In turn, one might feel guilty for having procrastinated using the smartphone, which may lead to more negative emotions (Meier, 2022). ...
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Given the pervasive role of smartphones in modern life, research into their impact on well-being has flourished. This study addresses existing methodological shortcomings using smartphone log data and experience sampling methods (ESM) to explore the bidirectional within-person relationship between smartphone usage and momentary well-being variables (i.e., affect valence, loneliness, positive affect, and negative affect). We further examine different categories of smartphone usage, namely, communication, social media, and other apps. We analyze three samples (N1 = 225, N2 = 17, N3 = 13; with T1 = 7,874, T2 = 2,566, T3 = 1,533 ESM reports) with multilevel models to test our preregistered hypotheses. Data for Sample I were collected in Spain in 2022 (82% female; Mage = 23.1). Samples II and III (80% female; Mage = 21.6) were collected in the Netherlands between 2021 and 2022. Our results suggest that smartphone usage within an hour before ESM assessment, especially using social media apps, is associated with reduced affect valence and increased loneliness on a within-person level. Loneliness was associated with more smartphone usage than usual, particularly the use of social media apps, within the hour following ESM assessments. However, overall, our findings indicate weak bidirectional associations between smartphone usage and indicators of momentary well-being (range standardized β = .00–.08). On the between-person level, those individuals generally high in loneliness were more affected in their momentary loneliness by prior social media use, suggesting a heightened social media sensitivity. The interplay between social media use and momentary loneliness should be studied in more detail, including contextual factors and experimental designs.
... It's crucial to keep in mind that studies show a number of problems are associated with smartphone use. Excessive smartphone use has been connected in correlational studies to a number of mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression (Elhai et al., 2016;Panova & Lleras, 2016;Panova & Carbonell, 2018). These are the detrimental or adverse consequences of excessive smartphone use. ...
Article
The aim of this paper is to analyse trends by reviewing the growing body of research on smartphone overuse in humans. This literature review focuses exclusively on original research articles. It begins by explaining key concepts, such as the levels and symptoms of smartphone usage excessively. There is a term “Nomophobia” which is frequently linked to poor mobile technology use. It, often known as "no-mobile-phone phobia," is the anxiety of not being able to use or reachable via one's cell phone. Additionally, it highlights the fundamental challenges and methodological issues discussed in the existing studies. The paper explores the relationship between student smartphone overuse and academic performance. While some researchers have identified gender differences in smartphone usage, others have found minimal correlation between gender and smartphone use. Several studies also link smartphone usage pattern to musculoskeletal problems. Moreover, research indicates that mobile phone use while driving is a major contributor to road accidents today. Also, it is crucial to understanding the impact of negative side of mobile phone usage on mental health, academic performance, and social interactions. Researches on this topic helps in developing effective interventions and policies to promote healthier usage habits. Therefore, raising awareness about smartphone overuse and its consequences is crucial. Parents should actively monitor their children’s schedules to help prevent them from developing a dependency on mobile devices.
... Depression and anxiety, as typical negative emotions, are moderately correlated with mobile phone use. 12,13 The incidence of mobile phone dependence behavior is positively correlated with scores of depression and anxiety symptoms, and the higher the degree of depression and anxiety symptoms, the higher the frequency of mobile phone dependence behavior. 14 Studies have pointed out that depression and anxiety are important risk factors leading to individual mobile phone addiction, 15 which can predict adolescents' future mobile phone addiction behavior. ...
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Background Negative emotions (depression and anxiety) are highly correlated with mobile phone addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. The aim of this study is to further elucidate the relationship between negative emotions and mobile phone addiction among college students, with negative coping styles as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable. Methods A survey was conducted on 509 college students from two universities in Anhui Province, China, covering topics such as mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, and negative coping styles. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between variables. Results Depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, and mobile phone addiction are all significantly positively correlated. Negative coping styles mediate the relationship between depression, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction among college students. Gender regulates the relationship between depression/anxiety and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, the impact of negative emotions (depression and anxiety) on mobile phone addiction is greater in the male group than in the female group. Conclusion This study further reveals the psychological mechanisms behind the relationship between negative emotions (depression and anxiety) and mobile phone addiction. Negative coping styles are the mediating factor in this relationship, while gender is the moderating factor in this relationship.
... The study revealed that a positive relationship exists between SNS addiction and adolescent FoMO, with jealousy mediating this relationship (Yin et al., 2021). Problematic smartphone use was highly linked with anxiety, need for touch, and FoMO, with frequency of use inversely related to depression (Elhai et al., 2016). There was a significant correlation between SNS use and FoMO, with increased Facebook use indicating higher FoMO levels (Buglass et al., 2017). ...
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Purpose This study examines the relationship between social networking sites addiction and pro-social behavior, considering the increasing importance of social networking sites in daily life. It explores the mediating role of Fear of Missing Out in this relationship and investigates the moderating role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Research design, data, and methodology This study employed a snowball sampling method to conduct an online survey among social network users in China. The proposed model was tested using regression analysis to interpret the results. Results Findings indicate a negative predictive effect of social networking sites addiction on prosocial behavior. Misplaced fear partially mediates this relationship. Basic psychological need satisfaction significantly moderates the mediating effect of Fear of Missing Out on the relationship between SNS addiction and prosocial behavior. Practical implications This study provides strategies for effectively preventing social networking sites addiction in real-world settings and mitigating its negative impact on individuals’ physical and mental health. It suggests interventions at four levels—individual, school, society, and government—to enhance basic psychological need satisfaction, thereby improving prosocial behavior and facilitating the promotion of interpersonal interactions and the equitable, harmonious development of society.
... According to the study (Liang et al., 2022;Malik et al., 2023), psychological distress positively predicts fear of missing out. Fear of missing out (FoMO), entrapment, and psychological distress are positively related to depression (Taylor et al., 2009), supporting the current study's findings (Elhai et al., 2016;Dempsey, (2015) found that people with high psychological distress and poor mental health use social media more. Those in severe psychological distress may be able to anticipate their fears of entrapment and missed opportunities and take precautions. ...
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Individuals may occasionally experience psychological distress and entrapment, which is not a desirable situation. Psychological distress is defined as a state of emotional suffering characterized by symptoms of depression and anxiety, whereas entrapment is defined as negative feelings caused by an unsuccessful struggle and the belief that the defeating situation cannot be resolved or escaped. Currently, rapid developments have brought along with them the fear of missing out on these developments. In order to minimize these undesirable situations in human life, this study aims to test the mediating role of FoMO and mental well-being between psychological distress and entrapment. The relationships between these variables have not been investigated before and this study is the first to investigate the relationships between the mentioned variables. 64 male and 420 female participants over the age of 18 participated in the study voluntarily. To evaluate the related variables, Entrapment Scale, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Mental Well-Being Scale, and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale were used. Structural Equation Modeling was used to conduct mediation analysis on the study's data. The findings revealed that FoMO and mental well-being acted as parallel mediators of psychological distress and entrapment. In other words, psychological distress predicts entrapment both directly and through fear of missing out and mental well-being. In the model, psychological distress positively predicted entrapment and FoMO, but mental well-being negatively predicted. The direct relationship between psychological distress and entrapment, through related mediators, significantly aids individuals in managing negative experiences such as psychological distress, entrapment, and FoMO more effectively. The current research is a quantitative model explaining the relationship between psychological distress, entrapment, fear of missing out and mental well-being. The findings are discussed within the scope of the relevant literature.
... Overuse of mobile devices can lead to headaches, exhaustion, insomnia, memory loss, and hallucinations (Sandström et al., 2001). An increasing amount of research has demonstrated that dependence on mobile phones results in poor quality sleep, interpersonal issues, poor academic performance, and increased symptoms of anxiety and depression (e.g., Cheng & Meng, 2021;Elhai et al., 2016;Lepp et al., 2014). Considering the prevalence and mobile phone addiction's detrimental effects on adolescents, investigating the mechanisms underlying adolescent mobile phone addiction is crucial. ...
Article
This study aimed to examine the mediation effect of mindfulness and self-control in the relationship between emotion regulation and mobile phone addiction in Turkish adolescents. Additionally, the psychometric properties of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form and the Self-Control Scale were investigated on adolescents in this study. Our findings indicated that mobile phone addiction is positively correlated with dysfunctional emotion regulation and negatively associated with self-control and mindfulness. Furthermore, dysfunctional emotion regulation was negatively associated with self-control, and mindfulnessand self-control were positively correlated with mindfulness. Dysfunctional emotion regulation, self-control and mindfulness had direct significant effects on mobile phone addiction. Mindfulness and self-control were found to partially mediate the association between dysfunctional emotion regulation and mobile phone addiction. Findings from this investigation confirm that the degree of mobile phone addiction is heightened by dysfunctional emotion regulation; however, these associations can be mitigated by practicing mindfulness and self-control. In other words, dysfunctional emotion regulation increases mobile phone addiction through low self-control and mindfulness; however, mindfulness and self-control practices can reduce these effects.
... Due to their greater sensitivity and prominence as social media users, young people and adults are typically more susceptible to FOMO [12]. Numerous research studies have shown linkages between FOMO and adolescents' negative health symptoms, depression, increased alcohol usage, stress levels, and sleep issues [13][14][15][16]. Furthermore, behavioural addiction scholars stated more focus is needed on the psychological mechanisms that underlie problematic behaviour [15][16][17][18][19]. Problematic social networking site usage (PSNU) is described as a disorder that reflects a behavioural addiction. ...
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Background: Depression is a major mental health disorder with severe personal and societal effects. It is characterised by a variety of feelings that are present at the same time (Pessimism, frustration, sadness, etc.). Many issues or worries in the modern world have been heightened by fears such as running out of mobile phones, out of internet packages, or Fear of missing out (FOMO). Despite this, little research on the relationship between these social media-induced FOMO has been undertaken on Depression. Objective: The present study intended to investigate the relationship between FOMO and depression through the serial mediation effect of problematic social networking usage and phubbing behaviour. Methodology: SPSS 23 with Process Macro and AMOS 21.0 were used to evaluate the survey data of 379 respondents from universities in North India. Results: FOMO has a significant detrimental effect on depression among its users. Also, this relationship was significantly mediated by both problematic social media usage and phubbing behaviour which supports the serial mediation model. Hence, the results exhibit that FOMO predicts problematic social media usage and phubbing behaviour, which in turn causes depression among users. Conclusions: Since most students use social media activity in the digital era, there is a significant risk that these students may be exposed to the negative impacts of problematic social networking usage, phubbing behaviour and depression. Therefore, students, parents, educators, and policymakers need to promote responsible social media use and teach students about detrimental behaviours including FOMO, problematic social media usage, and phubbing.
... In a former study, FOMO was shown to predict PSU (Tugtekin et al., 2020). Other research confirmed the positive association between FOMO and PSU (Hudecek et al., 2023;Elhai et al., 2016). ...
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In the present longitudinal study, we investigated whether reasons for smartphone use, such as “search for positive emotions” and “escape from negative emotions,” can mediate the relationship between depression symptoms, fear of missing out (FOMO), and problematic smartphone use (PSU). In total, 309 smartphone users from Germany (Mage = 28.88, SDage = 12.53) completed the longitudinal study's online survey at two measurement time points (baseline, T1; 10-month follow-up, T2). “Escape from negative emotions” at T1 partly mediated the positive association between depression symptoms at T1 and PSU at T2. “Search for positive emotions” at T1 partly mediated the relationship between FOMO at T1 and PSU at T2. The present results showed that the relationship between psychopathological phenomena (depression symptoms, FOMO) and PSU could depend on reasons for smartphone use (“search for positive emotions,” “escape from negative emotions”). This stresses the importance of motives underlying smartphone use. The knowledge gained supports the understanding of mechanisms that could contribute to the development of PSU.
... Fear of missing out (FoMO) was a phenomenon first described in the self-determination theory of psychology (Ryan et al., 2006). It is typically defined as the widespread anxiety that arises from the fear of missing interesting events that others are participating in, leading to negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit, and rumination (Elhai et al., 2016;Przybylski et al., 2013). This definition well indicates that the relationship between FoMO and a variety of negative affect is mostly positively correlated. ...
Article
Weibo is an event-focused microblogging platform open to the public, easily triggering users’ social media fatigue. Based on the Stressor – Strain – Outcome (S-S-O) model, this research proposes a path model to explore the antecedents and consequences of social media fatigue among Chinese Weibo users. Findings from an online survey of 414 Weibo users reveal that caused of fear of missing out (FoMO), they might experience social media fatigue through information overload, further causing them to develop discontinuous usage intentions. This study contributes to the literature on Chinese social media platforms and their cultural-specific nuances. Theoretical insights for future research are provided, and practical suggestions are recommended for Weibo users.
... The aforementioned study demonstrates a remarkable prevalence of FoMO experiences within college students. This pervasive state of anxiety not only causes problematic social media use [4], but also increases the incidence of psychiatric disorders, anxiety, and depression [5,6]. Additionally, it affects college students' learning engagement [7]. ...
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Background Despite the recognition of the impact of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) on learning engagement, research conclusions remain inconsistent. This inconsistency may be due to a lack of exploration of the underlying mechanisms and the singularity of research perspectives. Methods Drawing from motivational dynamics model for learning engagement, this study investigated the relationship between FoMO and learning engagement from both variable-centered and person-centered perspectives, and further explored the mediating role of self-control. A total of 1,510 college students from eastern China were selected via an online platform, including 642 males and 868 females. Results The results from the variable-centered analysis indicated that FoMO had a significant positive direct effect on learning engagement (effect = 0.293, 95% CI = [0.185, 0.401]). FoMO negatively predicted self-control, which in turn had a negative impact on learning engagement (effect = -0.375, 95% CI = [-0.456, -0.295]). This suggests that self-control acts as a masking effect between FoMO and learning engagement. The person-centered results suggest the presence of four latent profiles of FoMO: the low trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, the high trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, the low trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group, and the high trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group. Specifically, compared to the low trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, self-control acts as a masking role between the low trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group, the high trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group and learning engagement. Conclusions FoMO exhibits a “dual-edged sword effect”. Educators should adopt diverse instructional methods to leverage the positive aspects of FoMO while guiding students in self-control training to mitigate its negative effects to enhance college students’ learning engagement.
... Studies, such as those by Pearson and Hussain [110] and Samaha and Hawi [121], suggest that an individual's personality traits and ability to control smartphone usage are linked to levels of smartphone dependency. Other studies found associations between socio-demographic factors (such as age and gender) and smartphone use and dependency [14,40,91,144]. There is also evidence that these types of behaviour could have negative behavioural and psychological consequences for affected smartphone users [20,28,132]. ...
... Additionally, the cross-sectional design of the study limits the ability to establish any causal relationships between PSU and PTSD symptomatology. Although PTSD symptoms may encourage PSU, it is also possible that PSU may exacerbate preexisting PTSD symptoms (Elhai et al., 2016;Kim et al., 2018;Price et al., 2022;Ratan et al., 2021;Stankovic et al., 2021). Moreover, the predominance in our sample of young, white, heterosexual, and female participants limits the generalizability of our sample to broader populations. ...
Article
Previous studies have demonstrated a link between PTSD and smartphone addiction; however, few studies have examined what may account for this relationship. The current study sought to examine whether problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance-focused coping impacts this relationship among young adults. The study consisted of 538 young adults with potential trauma exposure who completed an online survey assessing PTSD symptoms, coping strategies, and problematic smartphone use. PTSD was associated with problematic smartphone use and all styles of coping, while problematic smartphone use was associated with avoidance coping and emotion-focused coping. Analyses of indirect effects demonstrated that PTSD was indirectly associated with problematic smartphone use via avoidance coping but not problem-focused or emotion-focused coping. Findings indicate that avoidance may play an important role in promoting problematic smartphone use among individuals with trauma-related distress and suggest that approaches aimed at targeting avoidance may be beneficial to both PTSD symptoms and problematic smartphone use.
... College students' excessive internet use was usually to meet their inner needs, which was at the cost of losing physical activities [21]. However, when college students do not make up for what they miss in real life but find that they miss more information on the internet, it will further enhance negative social adaptation and emotional depression [65]. According to the self-development theory, when an individual's needs are not met, it is easy to produce maladjustment and negative emotions [66], which can easily lead to depression in the long run. ...
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Objective To investigate the relationship between internet use, physical activity, social adaptability, and depressive tendencies of college students, and to reveal the “advantages” and “disadvantages” of internet use around the “dose-effect”. Method The Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R), Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Chinese College Student Social Adjustment Scale (CCSAS), and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to conduct a random sampling survey among 3008 college students in China. Results (1) Internet use could directly and positively predict the depressive tendencies of college students. (2) Physical activity and social adaptability have a significant chain mediating effect between internet use and depressive tendencies. (3) There was a “U-shaped” dose-effect relationship between internet use and depression tendencies, indicating that normal internet use could directly and negatively predict depressive tendencies, and through the chain mediating effect of physical activity and social adaptability negatively predict depressive tendencies. In contrast, internet use dependence and addiction could directly predict depressive tendencies, and through the chain mediating effect of physical activity and social adaptability positively predict it. Conclusion Therefore, normal or moderate internet use has potential protective benefits on the physical and mental health of college students and can promote the positive development of physical activity and social adaptability to a certain extent, and prevent or reduce depressive tendencies, otherwise, it is not conducive to the healthy development of related behaviors and psychology.
... On the one hand, the resource attributes of DWC can provide employees with more autonomy in work scheduling and access to knowledge through ESM platforms (Richardson and Benbunan-Fich, 2011;Diaz et al., 2012;van Zoonen et al., 2023), thus improving their work performance (Ren et al., 2023). On the other hand, the continuous connectivity characteristic of DWC, akin to an "electronic leash," hinders the recovery of individuals' physical and mental resources (Derks et al., 2014;Buchler et al., 2020), resulting in information overload (Elhai et al., 2016), which ultimately leads to negative impacts on employee well-being and knowledge sharing (Buchler et al., 2020;Chadee et al., 2021;Ren et al., 2023). Based on the complex attributes of DWC in knowledge and information sharing , it is thus necessary to regard DWC as a situational factor and to re-evaluate the impact of communication visibility on employees' knowledge management. ...
Article
Purpose-This study explores the potential impact of enterprise social media (ESM) communication visibility on knowledge sabotage to reduce knowledge sabotage within organizations. Design/methodology/approach-We collected data from 389 Chinese employees across three stages and used hierarchical regression analysis and the bootstrap method to test our hypotheses. Findings-Communication visibility negatively affects knowledge sabotage, and the loss of knowledge power mediates the relationship between communication visibility and knowledge sabotage. Digital work connectivity strengthens the negative relationship between message transparency and loss of knowledge power but weakens the negative relationship between network translucence and loss of knowledge power. Therefore, digital work connectivity plays a dual role. Practical implications-Managers can encourage employees to share their knowledge advantages through ESM and seek cross-disciplinary knowledge cooperation, which helps restrain knowledge sabotage from the source. At the same time, maintaining appropriate digital work connectivity enables employees to leverage their knowledge interaction advantages of ESM, thereby fostering their knowledge competitiveness. Originality/value-This study is the first to reveal the internal mechanism (loss of knowledge power) through which ESM communication visibility affects knowledge sabotage and explores the boundary condition (digital work connectivity) impacting the effectiveness of communication visibility. It contributes to a deeper understanding of the inherent nature of knowledge sabotage from an information technology perspective and offers novel technical insights into its management.
... This heightened attention bias makes them more vulnerable to alarming information on SNS. Secondly, in the context of motivational mechanisms, those with high FOMO are more likely to seek motivation and may resort to maladaptive methods like problematic or addictive social media use, potentially harming their social and academic life (Elhai et al., 2016;Wolniewicz et al., 2018). Thirdly, concerning metacognition mechanisms, individuals with high FOMO are believed to hold positive metacognitions towards SNS use, anticipating a beneficial function in managing and regulating their cognition and emotions (Casale et al., 2018). ...
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In response to the evolving e-commerce landscape, the study investigates changing patterns of social networking site (SNS) usage during a pandemic. Grounded in the interaction of the person-affect-cognition-execution model for addictive behaviors and the appraisal and coping theory, it explores the depth and extent of SNS usage. Specifically, the study examines the moderated mediating effect of perceived stress (PS) and fear of missing out, with risk mitigation behavior as a moderator. With data from a nationwide survey in Korea with 760 responses, results show that risk mitigation behavior moderates the relationship between infection threat and PS, while PS and fear of missing out mediate the effect of infection threat on SNS usage. The moderated mediation of PS was significant, shedding light on the complex psychological mechanisms that drive SNS behavior during global crises. The findings deepen understanding of how stress and coping strategies shape SNS engagement in response to crisis.
... Many narcissistic people depend on online social networks to enhance their image and to find evidence of their own significance and greatness (Oberst et al., 2017). Therefore, the anxiety about the loss of social interactions and the inability to impress others as well as oneself causes an increase in the levels of anxiety amongst narcissistic people which in return triggers excessive use of social networks and devices to tackle these feelings (Elhai et al., 2016). In addition, studies show that the factor of fear of missing out (FOMO) plays a mediating role in the impact of narcissism on unhealthy use of social media. ...
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The study sought to investigate the relationship between narcissism, fear of missing out (FOMO), and phubbing behavior pertaining to the young adults, in which special focus was paid to moderating role of mindfulness. The study sample consisted of 300 young adults aged 18-25, comprising 145 males and 155 females. The variables were studied using the FOMO scale, standard narcissistic personality inventory (grandiose narcissism & vulnerable narcissism), mindful attention awareness scale, and Social Phobia Generalized Scale including inter personal conflict, nomophobia, problem recognition and self-isolation. Results demonstrated FOMO as a reputable ‘dangerous’ narcissistic trait associated with phubbing since the two were positively linked to indulging in FOMO. Other social anxiety triggering phubbing was advancing a proposal that FOMO was positively associated with the exhibition of phubbing behaviors. These findings imply the need of incorporating FOMO to the existing interventions that aim at curbing phubbing behavior amongst the young adults. Positioned in this way, the study emphasizes that the development of the curative strategy should contain the assumption of the role of mindfulness in moderating the effect of FOMO on social behaviors.
... Techno-addiction can also cause disconnection anxiety, which is the fear of being detached from ICT devices and the information they provide. Behavioral patterns associated with techno-addiction include constant anticipation of notifications, lack of control in refraining from using ICTs, conflicts with other activities or tasks, and negative reactions to interrupted ICT use (Salanova et al., 2013;Elhai et al., 2016). Techno-strain refers to the perceived experience of stress resulting from the use of new information technologies. ...
Article
Incorporating technology into education has become a crucial component of contemporary teaching practices. Technological advancements have led to the development of innovative teaching tools and methodologies that promote active learning and engagement among students. This study used a modified version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to analyze the key factors that impact the integration of technology in the teaching practice of higher education instructors. Among the factors to be included in the modified model are technostress and teaching tradition. These factors have been rarely examined within the mandatory technology integration in higher education settings. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to analyse the empirical data collected from 657 higher education teachers in Jordan. Findings reveal that teachers’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) played a crucial role in facilitating the effective integration of technology into teaching practices. This boosted self-efficacy, personal innovativeness and perceptions of ease of use and usefulness. Additionally, teachers’ TPACK negatively influenced their technostress and teaching tradition. Indeed, technostress and teaching tradition were identified as significant obstacles to the effective integration of technology into teaching practices. Significant implications for theory and practice can be derived from the findings of this study to effectively incorporate technology in higher education.
... Study: technology and social media increase urban youth FOMO. According toElhai et al. (2016), urban college students with high FOMO had increased anxiety, depression, and sleep issues.FOMO and comparisons arise from the social networks of wealthy metropolitan institutions. Dempsey et al. (2019) explored FOMO and urbanisation during COVID-19. ...
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To address the psychological correlates of modernity over the past half-century, it is necessary to investigate the ways in which societal shifts, technological advancements, and cultural shifts have impacted mental health and well-being. This extensive research will investigate a wide range of subjects, such as modernisation dependence on technology, the influence of social media, the need to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and the psychological effects of environmental degradation. We will use appropriate data and sources for each subject to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and implications for future existence.
... The age group of 18-24 years constitute the majority of users, and nearly all medical students possess smartphones [5]. Given the demands of medical education, smartphone integration in healthcare, societal pressures, and the increased reliance on digital tools during the COVID-19 pandemic, this demographic is particularly vulnerable to smartphone addiction [6,7], adversely affecting mental health, notably leading to depression [8,9]. ...
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Introduction While research has examined the connections between sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms in general, no studies focused on undergraduate medical students in Nepal have specifically tested the complex relationship between these factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the interaction between smartphone addiction, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students of Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 212 undergraduate medical students at Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 via the bootstrap model approach. Results Out of the total participants, 67.9% were male. Males showed higher scores in smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms than females (b = 5.3, Bca 95% CI:1.2, 9.1, p < 0.05). The unadjusted model indicated that the presence of smartphone addiction explained 36.5% of the indirect impact of sleep quality on depressive symptoms. However, in the adjusted model, after introducing socio-demographic, behavioral, and educational variables as covariates, this percentage decreased to 33.02%. Conclusion This study highlights the significant role of both smartphone addiction and sleep quality in mediating the indirect effect on depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students. Smartphone addiction emerged as a key mediator of depressive symptoms, indicating a potentially important factor in mental health. Investigating this relationship further through longitudinal studies will be crucial for developing effective preventative and therapeutic approaches.
... If AI developers cannot find suitable ways to make their technology appear innocuous to observers (in particular to those who tend to seek out post-factual explanations), it might become increasingly challenging to establish innovations on a larger scale. However, they emphasized that negative attitudes and objections against AI technology are not necessarily unjustified; hence (Elhai et al., 2016), when educating the public on AI technologies, people should be encouraged to reflect upon both potential risks and benefits (Bartneck et al., 2021;Park & Woo, 2022). This study also aligns with other research on anxiety and stress; frequent use of AI and social media has been reported to lead to increased anxiety and stress (Keles, McCrae, & Grealis, 2020;Vannucci, Flannery, & Ohannessian, 2017). ...
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The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) affects several aspects of life. While AI has positive impacts, it also leads to adverse impacts such as the rise of gadget addiction and cybercrime. This study investigated the role of perceived usage of the conversational GPT-4 AI model in cybercrimes and social media addictions among residents in Makurdi Nigeria. The cross-sectional survey involved 200 participants who used the latest conversational GPT-4 AI model in their smartphones. Participants were selected using convenience sampling techniques. The results revealed a relationship between the usage of the conversational GPT-4 AI model and cybercrime incidence (R=0.255, R 2 =0.065, F(1, 189)=13.223, p< 0.01). The baseline usage of the conversational GPT-4 AI model was also found to significantly predict an increase in social media addictions (R=0.434, R 2 =0.188, F(5, 195)=24.147, p<0.01). The study also revealed that the usage of the conversational GPT-4 AI model was significantly associated with an increase in both cybercrime and social media addictions (R=0.474, R 2 =0.226, F(2, 185)=5.991; p<0.01). Based on the study's findings, there is a need to develop and deliver educational programs to inform users about the responsible use of AI technologies, including the GPT-4 model.
Article
Background The increasing prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) among university students is raising concerns, particularly as excessive smartphone engagement is linked to negative outcomes such as mental health issues, academic underperformance, and sleep disruption. Despite the severity of PSU, its association with behaviors such as physical activity, mobility, and sociability has received limited research attention. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), including passive data collection through digital phenotyping indicators, offers an objective approach to explore these behavioral patterns. Objective This study aimed to examine associations between self-reported psychosocial measures; app-based EMA data, including daily behavioral indicators from GPS location tracking; and PSU in university students during the examination period. Methods A 6-week observational study involving 243 university students was conducted using app-based EMA on personal smartphones to collect data on daily behaviors and psychosocial factors related to smartphone overuse. PSU was assessed using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale. Data collected from the Big4+ app, including self-reports on mood, sleep, and appetite, as well as passive sensor data (GPS location, acceleration, and steps) were used to evaluate overall health. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors that significantly influenced smartphone overuse, providing insights into daily behavior and mental health patterns. Results In total, 23% (56/243) of the students exhibited PSU. The regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between PSU and several factors, including depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; odds ratio [OR] 8.48, 95% CI 1.95-36.87; P=.004), social interaction anxiety (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale; OR 4.40, 95% CI 1.59-12.15; P=.004), sleep disturbances (General Sleep Disturbance Scale; OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.15-10.30; P=.03), and longer sleep duration (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.14-8.48; P=.03). Conversely, a significant negative association was found between PSU and time spent at home (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.94; P=.04). Conclusions This study suggests that negative self-perceptions of mood and sleep, along with patterns of increased mobility identified through GPS data, increase the risk of PSU, particularly during periods of academic stress. Combining psychosocial assessments with EMA data offers valuable insights for managing PSU during high-stress periods, such as examinations, and provides new directions for future research.
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Background and aims: The usage of smartphones has increased rapidly in recent years, and this has brought about addiction. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between smartphone use severity and sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. Methods: In total, 319 university students (203 females and 116 males; mean age = 20.5 ± 2.45) were included in the study. Participants were divided into the following three groups: a smartphone non-user group (n = 71, 22.3%), a low smartphone use group (n = 121, 37.9%), and a high smartphone use group (n = 127, 39.8%). All participants were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory; moreover, participants other than those in the smartphone non-user group were also assessed with the Smartphone Addiction Scale. Results: The findings revealed that the Smartphone Addiction Scale scores of females were significantly higher than those of males. Depression, anxiety, and daytime dysfunction scores were higher in the high smartphone use group than in the low smartphone use group. Positive correlations were found between the Smartphone Addiction Scale scores and depression levels, anxiety levels, and some sleep quality scores. Conclusions: The results indicate that depression, anxiety, and sleep quality may be associated with smartphone overuse. Such overuse may lead to depression and/or anxiety, which can in turn result in sleep problems. University students with high depression and anxiety scores should be carefully monitored for smartphone addiction.
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The mobile phone is a breakthrough advance for human communication. But with the plethora of choices available via smartphone, individuals who are deficient in self-regulation or with a propensity for addiction may face challenges in managing these choices strategically. To examine this potential dysfunctional aspect, we examined the effect of multitasking when studying or doing homework and found that both frequency and attention to texting and social media were positively related to mobile phone interference in life (MPIL). However, frequency of music use during study was not associated with MPIL, although allocated attention to music while studying was positively associated with MPIL. Ownership of a smartphone and the number of Facebook friends were positively associated with MPIL and women reported more MPIL than men.
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We investigated the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon and median nerve in smartphone users by ultrasonography to assess the effects of smartphone addiction on the clinical and functional status of the hands. One-hundred-two students were divided into 3 groups: Non-users, high and low smartphone-users. Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) scores and grip and pinch strengths were recorded. Pain in thumb movement and rest and hand function were evaluated on a visual analog scale (VAS) and the Duruöz Hand Index (DHI) respectively. The cross sectional areas (CSA) of the median nerve and the FPL tendon were calculated bilaterally with ultrasonography. There were significantly higher median nerve CSAs in the dominant hands of the high smartphone users than non-dominant hands (P<0.001). The SAS scores correlated with the VAS pain for movement and rest, the DHI scores, and pinch strength (P<0.05, r=0.345, 0.272, 0.245, and 0.281 respectively). Smartphone overuse enlarges the median nerve, causes pain in the thumb, and decreases pinch strength and hand functions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Despite the many positive outcomes, excessive mobile phone use is now often associated with potentially harmful and/or disturbing behaviors (e.g., symptoms of deregulated use, negative impact on various aspects of daily life such as relationship problems and work intrusion). Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has generally been considered as a behavioral addiction that shares many features with more established drug addictions. In light of the most recent data, the current paper reviews the validity of the behavioral addiction model when applied to PMPU. On the whole, it is argued that the evidence supporting PMPU as an addictive behavior is scarce. In particular, it lacks studies that definitively show behavioral and neurobiological similarities between mobile phone addiction and other types of legitimate addictive behaviors. Given this context, an integrative pathway model is proposed that aims to provide a theoretical framework to guide future research in the field of PMPU. This model highlights that PMPU is a heterogeneous and multi-faceted condition.
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Sampling strategies have critical implications for the validity of a researcher's conclusions. Despite this, sampling is frequently ignored in research methods textbooks, during the research design process, and in the reporting of our journals. This lack of guidance often leads reviewers and journal editors to consider sampling using simple rules of thumb, which leads to the unnecessary and counterproductive characterization of sampling strategies as universally "good" or "bad." Such oversimplification slows the progress of our science by considering legitimate data sources to be categorically unacceptable. Instead, we argue that sampling is better understood in methodological terms of range restriction and omitted variables bias. This considered approach has far-reaching implications, because in I/O psychology, as in most social sciences, virtually all of our samples are convenience samples. Organizational samples are not gold standard research sources; instead, they are merely a specific type of convenience sample with their own positive and negative implications for validity. This fact does not condemn our science but instead highlights the need for more careful consideration of how and when a finding may generalize based upon the particular mix of validity-related affordances provided by each sample source that might be used to investigate a particular research question. We call for researchers to explore such considerations cautiously and explicitly in both the publication and review of research.
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This study uniquely examined the impacts on self, cognition, anxiety, and physiology when iPhone users are unable to answer their iPhone while performing cognitive tasks. A 2 x 2 within-subjects experiment was conducted. Participants (N = 40 iPhone users) completed two word search puzzles. Among the key findings from this study were that when iPhone users were unable to answer their ringing iPhone during a word search puzzle, heart rate and blood pressure increased, self-reported feelings of anxiety and unpleasantness increased, and self-reported extended self and cognition decreased. These findings suggest that negative psychological and physiological outcomes are associated with iPhone separation and the inability to answer one’s ringing iPhone during cognitive tasks. Implications of findings are discussed.
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Background and aims: Likening mobile phone use dependency to the classification of excessive behaviors may be necessarily equivalent in seriousness to previously established addictions such as problematic computing or excessive gambling. The aim of the study explores into the behavior of excessive use of mobile phones as a pathological behavior. Methods: Two studies investigated criteria for problematic mobile phone usage by examining student (Study 1, N = 301) and nonstudent (Study 2, N = 362) responses to a set of adapted mobile phone addiction inventories. Study 1 investigated cell phone addiction inventories as constructs designed to measure problematic cell phone use. Additionally, Study 2 sought to predict age, depression, extraversion, emotional stability, impulse control, and self-esteem as independent variables that augment respondents' perceptions of problematic use. Results: The results from Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that 10 to 25% of the participants tested exhibited problematic cell phone usage. Additionally, age, depression, extraversion, and low impulse control are the most suitable predictors for problematic use. Conclusions: The results of the two studies indicate that problematic mobile phone use does occur and ought to be taken seriously by the psychological community. Presently, there is limited data providing conclusive evidence for a comprehensible categorization of cell phone addiction, as well as a unified explanatory model specific to problematic mobile phone use. Studies such as this one may contribute substantial findings, adding scientific significance, and offering a valuable submission for the ongoing progress of creating intervention frameworks relative to "virtual addictions".
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Brady and Kendall (1992) concluded that although anxiety and depression in youths are meaningfully linked, there are important distinctions, and additional research is needed. Since then, studies of anxiety-depression comorbidity in youths have increased exponentially. Following a discussion of comorbidity, we review existing conceptual models and propose a multiple pathways model to anxiety-depression comorbidity. Pathway 1 describes youths with a diathesis for anxiety, with subsequent comorbid depression resulting from anxiety-related impairment. Pathway 2 refers to youths with a shared diathesis for anxiety and depression, who may experience both disorders simultaneously. Pathway 3 describes youths with a diathesis for depression, with subsequent comorbid anxiety resulting from depression-related impairment. Additionally, shared and stratified risk factors contribute to the development of the comorbid disorder, either by interacting with disorder-related impairment or by predicting the simultaneous development of the disorders. Our review addresses descriptive and developmental factors, gender differences, suicidality, assessments, and treatment-outcome research as they relate to comorbid anxiety and depression and to our proposed pathways. Research since 1992 indicates that comorbidity varies depending on the specific anxiety disorder, with Pathway 1 describing youths with either social phobia or separation anxiety disorder and subsequent depression, Pathway 2 applying to youths with coprimary generalized anxiety disorder and depression, and Pathway 3 including depressed youths with subsequent social phobia. The need to test the proposed multiple pathways model and to examine (a) developmental change and (b) specific anxiety disorders is highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
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Although participants with psychiatric symptoms, specific risk factors, or rare demographic characteristics can be difficult to identify and recruit for participation in research, participants with these characteristics are crucial for research in the social, behavioral, and clinical sciences. Online research in general and crowdsourcing software in particular may offer a solution. However, no research to date has examined the utility of crowdsourcing software for conducting research on psychopathology. In the current study, we examined the prevalence of several psychiatric disorders and related problems, as well as the reliability and validity of participant reports on these domains, among users of Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Findings suggest that crowdsourcing software offers several advantages for clinical research while providing insight into potential problems, such as misrepresentation, that researchers should address when collecting data online.
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Abstract The problematic use of mobile phones among adolescents has not been widely studied. There are very few instruments for assessing potential technological addiction to mobile phones, or for categorizing different types of users or uses. The most widely used scale is the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS), which is used to study adult populations, and has been applied in various forms in international contexts. The aims of this study were to adapt the Spanish version of this scale (MPPUSA) to British adolescents, and then to estimate the prevalence of possible problematic users. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1,529 secondary school pupils aged between 11 and 18 years, with 1,026 completed questionnaires being collected. The analysis showed that the factor and construct validity and reliability were comparable to those obtained in previous studies. The prevalence of problematic users among the students was 10%, and the typical problematic user tended to be an adolescent between 11 and 14 years old, studying in a public school, who considered themselves to be an expert user of this technology, who made extensive use of his/her mobile phone, and who attributed the same problem of use among their peers. These users presented notable scores in all the symptoms covered by the scale used to assess problematic use. In conclusion, the adaptation of the MPPUSA as a screening scale for British adolescents presents good sensitivity and specificity for detecting the main addictive symptoms proposed in this validated version.
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Haptic information, or information attained through touch by the hands, is important for the evaluation of products that vary in terms of material properties related to texture, hardness, temperature, and weight. The authors develop and propose a conceptual framework to illustrate that salience of haptic information differs significantly across products, consumers, and situations. The authors use two experiments to assess how these factors interact to impair or enhance the acquisition and use of haptic information. Barriers to touch, such as a retail display case, can inhibit the use of haptic information and consequently decrease confidence in product evaluations and increase the frustration level of consumers who are more motivated to touch products. In addition, written descriptions and visual depictions of products can partially enhance acquisition of certain types of touch information. The authors synthesize the results of these studies and discuss implications for the effect of haptic information for Internet and other nonstore retailing as well as for traditional retailers.
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Today's cell phones increase opportunities for activities traditionally defined as sedentary behaviors (e.g., surfing the internet, playing video games). People who participate in large amounts of sedentary behaviors, relative to those who do not, tend to be less physically active, less physically fit, and at greater risk for health problems. However, cell phone use does not have to be a sedentary behavior as these devices are portable. It can occur while standing or during mild-to-moderate intensity physical activity. Thus, the relationship between cell phone use, physical and sedentary activity, and physical fitness is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate these relationships among a sample of healthy college students. Participants were first interviewed about their physical activity behavior and cell phone use. Then body composition was assessed and the validated self-efficacy survey for exercise behaviors completed. This was followed by a progressive exercise test on a treadmill to exhaustion. Peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) during exercise was used to measure cardiorespiratory fitness. Hierarchical regression was used to assess the relationship between cell phone use and cardiorespiratory fitness after controlling for sex, self-efficacy, and percent body fat. Interview data was transcribed, coded, and Chi-square analysis was used to compare the responses of low and high frequency cell phone users. Cell phone use was significantly (p=0.047) and negatively (ß= -0.25) related to cardio respiratory fitness independent of sex, self-efficacy, and percent fat which were also significant predictors (p<0.05). Interview data offered several possible explanations for this relationship. First, high frequency users were more likely than low frequency users to report forgoing opportunities for physical activity in order to use their cell phones for sedentary behaviors. Second, low frequency users were more likely to report being connected to active peer groups through their cell phones and to cite this as a motivation for physical activity. Third, high levels of cell phone use indicated a broader pattern of sedentary behaviors apart from cell phone use, such as watching television. Cell phone use, like traditional sedentary behaviors, may disrupt physical activity and reduce cardiorespiratory fitness.
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The aim of this study was to develop a self-diagnostic scale that could distinguish smartphone addicts based on the Korean self-diagnostic program for Internet addiction (K-scale) and the smartphone's own features. In addition, the reliability and validity of the smartphone addiction scale (SAS) was demonstrated. A total of 197 participants were selected from Nov. 2011 to Jan. 2012 to accomplish a set of questionnaires, including SAS, K-scale, modified Kimberly Young Internet addiction test (Y-scale), visual analogue scale (VAS), and substance dependence and abuse diagnosis of DSM-IV. There were 64 males and 133 females, with ages ranging from 18 to 53 years (M = 26.06; SD = 5.96). Factor analysis, internal-consistency test, t-test, ANOVA, and correlation analysis were conducted to verify the reliability and validity of SAS. Based on the factor analysis results, the subscale "disturbance of reality testing" was removed, and six factors were left. The internal consistency and concurrent validity of SAS were verified (Cronbach's alpha = 0.967). SAS and its subscales were significantly correlated with K-scale and Y-scale. The VAS of each factor also showed a significant correlation with each subscale. In addition, differences were found in the job (p<0.05), education (p<0.05), and self-reported smartphone addiction scores (p<0.001) in SAS. This study developed the first scale of the smartphone addiction aspect of the diagnostic manual. This scale was proven to be relatively reliable and valid.
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Objectives The objective of the present work was to study the impact of technological and social distraction on cautionary behaviours and crossing times in pedestrians. Methods Pedestrians were observed at 20 high-risk intersections during 1 of 3 randomly assigned time windows in 2012. Observers recorded demographic and behavioural information, including use of a mobile device (talking on the phone, text messaging, or listening to music). We examined the association between distraction and crossing behaviours, adjusting for age and gender. All multivariate analyses were conducted with random effect logistic regression (binary outcomes) and random effect linear regression (continuous outcomes), accounting for clustering by site. Results Observers recorded crossing behaviours for 1102 pedestrians. Nearly one-third (29.8%) of all pedestrians performed a distracting activity while crossing. Distractions included listening to music (11.2%), text messaging (7.3%) and using a handheld phone (6.2%). Text messaging, mobile phone use and talking with a companion increased crossing time. Texting pedestrians took 1.87 additional seconds (18.0%) to cross the average intersection (3.4 lanes), compared to undistracted pedestrians. Texting pedestrians were 3.9 times more likely than undistracted pedestrians to display at least 1 unsafe crossing behaviour (disobeying the lights, crossing mid-intersection, or failing to look both ways). Pedestrians listening to music walked more than half a second (0.54) faster across the average intersection than undistracted pedestrians. Conclusions Distracting activity is common among pedestrians, even while crossing intersections. Technological and social distractions increase crossing times, with text messaging associated with the highest risk. Our findings suggest the need for intervention studies to reduce risk of pedestrian injury.
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Here is the reference for this chapter. MacKinnon, D. P., Cheong, J., Pirlott, A. G. (2012) In Cooper, H., Camic, P. M., Long, D. L., Panter, A. T., Rindskopf, D., Sher, K. J. (Eds.) (2012). APA handbook of research methods in psychology, Vol 2: Research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, neuropsychological, and biological., (pp. 313-331). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.
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This research examines the influence of touch on impulse-purchasing behavior. We first replicate the Rook and Fisher [Rook DW, Fisher RJ. Normative influences on impulsive buying behavior. J Consum Res 1995;22:305–13.] studies about the moderating effect of the normative evaluation of impulse purchase on impulse-purchasing behavior. Extending the impulse-purchasing literature, we examine individual differences in touch and how they affect impulsive-buying behavior. Results from a field experiment suggest that both individual and environmental touch-related factors increase impulse purchasing.
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Examining several sources of data on smartphone use, this paper presents evidence for the popular conjecture that mobile devices are “habit-forming.” The form of habits we identified is called a checking habit: brief, repetitive inspection of dynamic content quickly accessible on the device. We describe findings on kinds and frequencies of checking behaviors in three studies. We found that checking habits occasionally spur users to do other things with the device and may increase usage overall. Data from a controlled field experiment show that checking behaviors emerge and are reinforced by informational “rewards” that are very quickly accessible. Qualitative data suggest that although repetitive habitual use is frequent, it is experienced more as an annoyance than an addiction. We conclude that supporting habit-formation is an opportunity for making smartphones more “personal” and “pervasive.”
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