The Path to Hedonic Information System Use Addiction: A Process Model in the Context of Social Networking Sites

Abstract

Addiction to hedonic information systems yields significant negative consequences for users. Although we know about the causes of addictions, particularly those related to individual differences, recent evidence suggests that addiction evolves gradually over time and is rooted in shared characteristics of users and technology. This paper provides a longitudinal perspective over how and why hedonic information systems (IS) use addiction develops. Based on our analysis, we break down this process into three phases characterized by different types of use, whether nominal, compulsive, or addicted. Each phase highlights salient psychological needs that motivate, technology features that enable, and affordances that are actualized into each type of use. We also provide a detailed account of individuals’ self-control mechanisms, explaining how deficiencies in sensing, comparing, or regulating behavior facilitate one’s transition toward addiction. These insights are applicable to other hedonic IS that are similar in terms of ubiquity and constant access through mobile apps. They point to heterogeneous (preventive or intervening) strategies that can be used to help people regain their control over use, depending on where they are in their trajectory toward addicted use. Our findings carry implications for the design of systems and features that can help reduce the likelihood of addiction development.

Does Addictive Pleasure at Work and Building a Personal IS on One's Smartphone Lead to Problematic Smartphone Dependency?

“…This behavior leads to conflicts with others or an inability to fulfill one's obligations. This definition is consistent with work that proposes an evolution toward a high degree of dependence that can result in a real behavioral addiction (Vaghefi et al, 2022). Continuing the logic grounded in the uses and gratifications theory, PSD can be explained by the greater use of functionalities enabled by smartphones and crafted as mobile PIS (e-mails, web content, or social networks).…”

“…Although these negative consequences do not always result in severe physiological effects like other substance addictions (Panova & Carbonell, 2018), smartphone addiction can manifest itself in other symptoms or states (Yu & Sussmann, 2020). These may range from problematic compulsive use to severe addiction (Vaghefi et al, 2017;Vaghefi et al, 2022). Apart from the degree of dependency of the behavior, use becomes problematic insofar as it leads to increased risks of accidents (driving a vehicle), health risks (not wearing wired headphones, but a wireless earpiece or worse holding the smartphone up to one's ear), or uncontrolled spending (Bianchi & Phillipps, 2005).…”

The effects of cognitive dissonance and self-efficacy on short video discontinuous usage intention

“…Addiction can produce negative psychological and physical user effects, which include the disruption of work or life, fatigue and reduced or lost concentration (Balakrishnan and Griffiths, 2017;Vaghefi et al, 2020). Other negative effects include social isolation, low spirits, reduced work and study efficiency and wasted time (Monacis et al, 2017;Vaghefi et al, 2023). These negative effects will eventually cause users to experience guilt.…”

The Use of Social Media and Its Effects on Students' Academic Performance

“…After conducting many studies, it has been discovered that students tend to squander a significant amount of time on social media. As a result, they stop carrying out the fundamental responsibilities that are a part of their academic lives (Dhiman, 2023;Vaghefi et al, 2023;Huang et al, 2023).…”