Self-traits and motivations as antecedents of digital media flow and addiction: The Internet, mobile phones, and video games

Highlights

• We examined the effects of self-traits and motivations on flow and addiction.

• Self-control most significantly affected both users’ flow and addiction.

• Pastime and self-presence exhibited significant associations with flow and addiction.

• The amount of time spent using media was significantly related to the flow and addiction.

Abstract

In the context of a new paradigm of the media environment, this study aimed to explore levels of media consumption, self-traits and individual motivations as antecedents of media flow and addiction. Focusing specifically on the use of three prominent digital media forms—the Internet, video games, and mobile phones—this study identified four psychological factors—self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-control and dispositional media use motives—and examined the influence of each on media users’ experiences of flow and levels of addiction for each of the mediums considered. The results indicated that self-control most significantly affected both users’ flow and addiction in relation to their use of the Internet, video games, and mobile phones. In addition, two dimensions of dispositional media use motives, namely pastime and self-presence, exhibited significant associations with flow and addiction for users’ consumption of two or all three media types. As expected, the amount of time spent using media was significantly related to the flow and addiction associated with all digital media usage.

Introduction

In today’s social environment, our daily lives are filled with electronic media devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and computers. Throughout the day, people constantly engage in various forms of media activity, such as surfing the Internet, checking e-mail, watching videos, playing games, texting, or talking on cellphones. While the new paradigm of media technologies—with guaranteed interconnectedness, instantaneous nature, and ease of use—addresses consumers’ needs and desires, some users inevitably demonstrate excessive reliance on the media provided by these technologies.

Examining the phenomenon, scholars have argued that excessive media dependence is likely to be problematic in a variety of individual and social contexts (Bianchi and Phillips, 2005, Fisher, 1994: Kim and Haridakis, 2009, Young, 1998). In particular, they acknowledge the physical and psychological consequences of heavy media consumption. In earlier studies, findings revealed that users who rely excessively on human–machine interactions tend to be less sensitive to violence, display higher levels of depression, and demonstrate reset syndrome or experience disconnect in conversations among familiy members. Furthermore, one study suggested that heavy media dependence is closely associated with antisocial or criminal behavior (Long, 1990). In light of the various detrimental effects that users’ excessive media consumption can have on themselves, others, and society, this issue has gained significance in research related to addictive human–machine interactions.

Despite the fact that previous studies have examined a variety of factors affecting excessive media dependence, this research tends to be confined to the exploration of an individual medium, such as the Internet (Hawi, 2012, Tokunaga, 2012, Young, 1996a, Young, 1996b), a videogame (Caplan et al., 2009, Fisher, 1994, Hartmann et al., 2012), or mobile phones (Khang, Woo, & Kim, 2012). As such, findings from these studies are likely to be restricted to the specific media under examination, and the perspectives provided by such research are thus limited for translating the contemporary multimedia environment. In fact, as advanced technologies have introduced similar media functions into various digital devices (i.e., iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.), users are now able watch a video stream, play a game, surf the Internet, and make a phone call with a single one of these modern devices. Thus, when considering an individual as a multi-media user, research of media addiction would be more meaningful if it focused on users themselves rather than on any one particular medium.

The current study therefore aims to delineate a generic process of media addiction for an individual who demonstrates heavy consumption of various media. The study will compare and contrast differences and similarities in the processes of the individual’s excessive reliance on different forms of media. In particular, this study intends to draw more detailed relations between the individual variables and media addiction by examining self-traits, dispositional media use motives, media flow and addiction, and associations among the variables through use of the Internet, videogames, and mobile phones. As such, this study will offer a complete picture of the addictive process by exploring what motivates an individual to use a medium, how she/he arrives at a state of flow when using the medium, and how the condition is then transformed into an addiction. In addition, this study’s findings will provide preliminary information useful in determining strategies to alleviate addiction-like symptoms among users of various media and other new communication technologies.