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Reducing social media use via contingency management: A replication and extension
Dilara Olgun1, Meghan A Deshais1, SungWoo Kahng1
1Department of Applied Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|April 7, 2026
Summary
This study found that a contingency management intervention reduced social media use (SMU) in college students. However, it did not increase engagement in alternative activities during the intervention period.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Growing public health concerns surround excessive social media use (SMU).
- Interventions are needed to help individuals manage and reduce SMU.
- Previous research by Stinson and Dallery (2023) explored interventions for SMU.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate and extend findings on a contingency management intervention for SMU.
- To evaluate the intervention's impact on both SMU and engagement in alternative activities.
- To enhance the accuracy of SMU measurement and alternative activity tracking.
Main Methods:
- Four college students participated in the study.
- A contingency management with alternative activity selection intervention was implemented.
- Objective measures were used to track SMU and alternative activity engagement.
Main Results:
- The intervention successfully reduced social media use (SMU) among participants.
- No significant increase in engagement with alternative activities was observed during the intervention.
- Objective measurement methods potentially improved the reliability of SMU data.
Conclusions:
- Contingency management can effectively reduce SMU.
- Further research is needed on maintaining reduced SMU and promoting alternative activities.
- Investigating large-scale implementation of these interventions is crucial.
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