Social Media Induced Technostress and its Impact on Internet Addiction: A Distraction-conflict Theory Perspective

Abstract

Abstract:Using social media is the most common activity on the Internet, and much research has examined the phenomenon. While the current literature focuses on the positives of using social media, there is a comparative lack of research on its negative effects, especially in the context of the workplace. Research has identified one critical negative impact of contemporary technology as technostress, which refers to stress induced by information and communication technologies. In this paper, we apply distraction-conflict theory (DCT) to the literature on social media, technostress, and addiction to theorize that one can view social media in the workplace as a distraction conflict, which, in turn, can induce technostress and, subsequently, Internet addiction. To test this theoretical model, we conducted a survey on 1731 participants recruited from Mechanical Turk. The survey examined the similarities and differences between two popular social media platforms: Facebook and YouTube. Overall, the results provide support for positive associations between the distraction felt from social media and social media-induced technostress and between social mediainduced technostress and Internet addiction. While Facebook and YouTube have similarities, we found notable differences as well. This study contributes to the IS field by using DCT as a novel and valuable lens through which researchers and practitioners can think about the negative effects of using social media at work. The paper also offers insight into implications for research, practice, and future research areas.

Technostress and social networking services: Explaining users' concentration, sleep, identity, and social relation problems

“…Further, we extended prior knowledge by uncovering that the stressors and related strains derive from the characteristics typical for SNS such as multipurpose functionality, self‐disclosure features, and information cue paucity. These findings extend the prior research concerning SNS stressors (Brooks et al, ; Laumer et al, ; Maier et al, , ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ) by pinpointing the origins of those stressors. We further argue that the five SNS characteristics are related to most SNS but may manifest in different ways with different SNS.…”

“…First, this study contributes to the literature by introducing novel insights into SNS stress: the four well‐being strains that are tied to the SNS stressors, the influence of the stressor‐triggering SNS characteristics, and the two distinct patterns. While the prior literature concerning SNS stress has identified various SNS stressors and their subsequent use consequences (Brooks et al, ; Laumer et al, ; Maier et al, , ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ), this study extends the prior understanding by focusing on the well‐being strains and the SNS features. For instance, prior studies have provided valuable insights into how SNS stressors such as SNS invasion can lead to discontinued use (Maier et al, ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ).…”

“…Researchers have identified several SNS stressors, including SNS invasion, social overload, SNS disclosure, and SNS uncertainty (Brooks et al, ; Maier et al, , ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ). SNS invasion refers to the overly central role played by SNS in an individual's life, while social overload reflects a perception of having to provide too much social support via SNS (Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ).…”

“…SNS disclosure captures the abundance of information shared by oneself and others via SNS, while SNS uncertainty refers to a perception of being unsettled about constant SNS changes and updates (Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ). Subsequently, these SNS stressors can have consequences for SNS use; that is, they can increase SNS dissatisfaction, SNS exhaustion, use discontinuance, and addiction (Brooks et al, ; Maier et al, , ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ). For example, researchers have demonstrated how SNS exhaustion mediates the relationship between the SNS stressors and the discontinuance of SNS use (Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ).…”

“…A number of studies concerning SNS stress have identified various SNS stressors and their use consequences (Brooks, Longstreet, & Califf, ; Laumer, Maier, & Weinert, ; Luqman et al, ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, & Weitzel, , ; Maier, Laumer, Eckhardt, et al, ; Maier, Laumer, et al, ). For instance, stressors such as SNS invasion, social overload, SNS disclosure, and SNS uncertainty have been found to be linked with use consequences including SNS (dis)satisfaction and (dis)continuance.…”