A Week Without Using Social Media: Results from an Ecological Momentary Intervention Study Using Smartphones

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Behavior
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Social media is pervasive in daily life.
• Limited research exists on the effects of social media abstinence.
• Understanding abstinence impacts is crucial for digital well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the psychological and behavioral effects of social media abstinence.
• To assess withdrawal symptoms, affect, boredom, and craving during a 7-day abstinence period.
• To examine social pressure and relapse rates during social media cessation.

Main Methods:

• Ecological momentary intervention study using smartphones.
• 152 participants abstained from social media for 7 days (post 4-day baseline).
• Affect, boredom, craving, usage, and social pressure were assessed thrice daily and daily.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in craving (β=0.10) and boredom (β=0.12) were observed during abstinence.
• Positive and negative affect showed descriptive reductions.
• Social pressure to use social media significantly increased (β=0.19), with 59% of participants relapsing.

Conclusions:

• Social media use is deeply integrated into daily life, leading to withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.
• Abstinence from social media triggers craving, boredom, and heightened social pressure.
• High relapse rates underscore the addictive nature of social media and its integral role in social connectivity.