Self-regulation costs of social media among Polish and Cambodian students

Abstract

PURPOSE: To compare two complementary mechanisms underlying self-regulation costs of social media use among students: (i) micro-structure (habitual, “purpose-free” checking) and (ii) exposure volume (total daily time).

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Cross-sectional analysis of two independent student samples (Poland: N = 169; Cambodia: N = 48). The outcome is the Attention/Self-Regulation Cost Index (ACI), a formative composite of three components—disruption of activities, task postponement, and cognitive fatigue. Measurement invariance across language versions is probed (configural → metric; partial scalar where required). Robust estimation is used (OLS with HC3 errors, rank and quantile regressions), non-linearities are tested with natural splines for time, and sensitivity checks address recoding rules and a PCA-based alternative to the composite.

FINDINGS: In the Polish sample, habituality shows a medium, stable association with higher ACI, while the association with daily time is weaker and less precise. In the Cambodian sample, total daily time plays a comparatively larger role, consistent with a volume-load pathway. Results are robust to alternative ACI representations (z-score mean vs. PC1), estimation choices, and sensitivity analyses. Exploratory spline models suggest threshold effects for exposure time; the automaticity × time interaction indicates that longer exposure is more detrimental when habituality is high.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Interventions targeting micro-structure—reducing habit triggers, batching and default-muting notifications, and introducing “entry friction” (brief pause/goal prompt)—may deliver equal or greater benefits than blanket hour-reduction. Institutions can support quiet defaults and digital-hygiene practices; platforms can provide transparent time/entry metrics and low-stimulation defaults.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study offers a clear, decision-useful comparison of “how we use” versus “how long we use” within an economics-of-attention frame, introduces a concise formative index (ACI), and provides directional replication across two cultural contexts (Poland, Cambodia).