Momentary motivations for digital disconnection: an experience sampling study

Abstract

A much-discussed solution for undesirable (over-)use of mobile technologies lies in digital disconnection. Reasons for why individuals reduce their digital media use have been assessed mostly cross-sectionally without accounting for various disconnection practices across everyday situations. This study focuses on three motivations to disconnect that can vary between situations: to (a) avoid distractions, (b) improve well-being, and (c) be more present. A 14-day experience sampling study with 230 young adults (Mage = 25.31, SD = 4.50) yielded 7,360 situations of disconnective behavior. Multilevel regression analyses show that motivations to avoid distractions and to be more present were relevant for disconnection on the situational level. However, a person’s average level of these motivations did not predict disconnective behavior. The well-being motivation was not associated with disconnection either between or within participants. Additional analyses explore variations across time and different levels of digital disconnection.