Adolescent Smartphone Addiction and Unintentional Procrastination: The Mediating Role of Attentional Control and the Moderating Role of Self-Expansion via Smartphone

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240327

Abstract

Abstract: Smartphone has been exceedingly popular among adolescents and becomes an essential tool for communicating, looking for information, and having fun. However, the extensive use of smartphones leads to smartphone addiction, which brings many negative consequences, such as procrastination.
Procrastination was usually regarded as a failure of self-regulation. However, recently, the Metacognitive Model of Procrastination has proposed that procrastination can be further divided into intentional procrastination and unintentional procrastination (UP). Studies have shown that UP, which is passive, involuntary, and with negative metacognitive beliefs and feelings, can better predict negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, and failure in academic achievements than intentional and general procrastination. Thus, this study took the concept of UP to better illuminate the mechanism of how smartphone addiction was related to UP. According to prior studies, smartphone addiction may be an important factor that influences the UP in adolescents. Therefore, this study attempted to examine the relation between the two variables and the underlying mechanism.
Attentional control is the ability to consciously activate, focus and shift attention during interference. Empirical studies have found that smartphone addiction could damage one’s attentional control. Meanwhile, according to the Self-Regulatory Executive Functioning Theory and the Metacognitive Model of Procrastination, the derogation of attentional control may be related with UP. Therefore, attentional control may mediate the relation between smartphone addiction and UP among adolescents.
From the perspective of the self-expansion model and the role of smartphone in our life, prior researchers proposed the concept of self-expansion via smartphone. We inferred that adolescents’ level of self-expansion via smartphone would moderate the relation between smartphone addiction and attentional control.
The present study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the effect of smartphone addiction on adolescents’ UP, and further explore the mediating role of attentional control and the moderating role of self-expansion via smartphone. A sample of 866 students (44.9% males; Mage = 16.00 years, SD = .84 years) from two regular high schools completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale for College Students, the Attentional Control Scale, the Unintentional Procrastination Scale, and the Mobile Phone Self-Expansion Scale. SPSS 24.0 and SPSS macro PROCESS were used to manage and analyze data.
The results indicated that: (1) Adolescent smartphone addiction positively predict UP. (2) Attentional control (including distraction and shifting) played a partial mediating role between adolescent smartphone addiction and UP. (3) Self-expansion via smartphone moderates the relation between smartphone addiction and distraction but not shifting. Specifically, when the level of self-expansion via smartphone is higher, smartphone addiction predicted distraction more significantly.
The study revealed the mechanisms in the relation between adolescent smartphone addiction and UP. Smartphone addiction could influence adolescents’ UP through attentional control, and the mediation effect of attentional control was influenced by self-expansion via smartphone. Moreover, the present study extended previous research and provided empirical implications for the prevention of procrastination and how to reduce the negative consequences of smartphone addiction. We could reduce adolescents’ tendency to complete self-expansion via smartphone and train their attentional control ability to reduce the negative effects of smartphone addiction.

Key words: smartphone addiction, unintentional procrastination, attentional control, self-expansion via smartphone, adolescents

摘要： 采用问卷调查法,以武汉市两所高中866名学生为研究对象,考察青少年智能手机成瘾对其无意识拖延的影响及作用机制。结果发现：（1）智能手机成瘾正向预测无意识拖延;（2）注意控制在智能手机成瘾和无意识拖延间起部分中介作用;（3）手机自我扩展调节了智能手机成瘾对注意控制的影响。具体而言,智能手机成瘾对高手机自我扩展的青少年分心抵抗的负面影响更大。结果支持拖延的元认知模型,提供了一定的理论和现实启发。

关键词: 智能手机成瘾, 无意识拖延, 注意控制, 手机自我扩展, 青少年

Liu Qinxue, Tian Zhonghe, Qi Di, Wu Jayin, Zhou Zongkui. Adolescent Smartphone Addiction and Unintentional Procrastination: The Mediating Role of Attentional Control and the Moderating Role of Self-Expansion via Smartphone[J]. Journal of Psychological Science, 2024, 47(3): 726-733.

刘勤学, 田仲禾, 祁迪, 吴佳荫, 周宗奎. 青少年智能手机成瘾对无意识拖延的影响:注意控制的中介作用和手机自我扩展的调节作用^*[J]. 心理科学, 2024, 47(3): 726-733.

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