Working Paper: NBER ID: w28936
Authors: Hunt Allcott; Matthew Gentzkow; Lena Song
Abstract: Many have argued that digital technologies such as smartphones and social media are addictive. We develop an economic model of digital addiction and estimate it using a randomized experiment. Temporary incentives to reduce social media use have persistent effects, suggesting social media are habit forming. Allowing people to set limits on their future screen time substantially reduces use, suggesting self-control problems. Additional evidence suggests people are inattentive to habit formation and partially unaware of self-control problems. Looking at these facts through the lens of our model suggests that self-control problems cause 31 percent of social media use.
Keywords: digital addiction; social media; self-control; habit formation; randomized experiment
JEL Codes: D12; D61; D90; D91; I31; L86; O33
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| self-control problems (D91) | social media use (Z13) |
| limit treatment (C24) | evidence of self-control problems (D91) |
| temporary incentives to reduce social media use (Z13) | persistent reductions in screen time (C41) |
| bonus treatment (M52) | reduction of social media use (Z13) |
| limit treatment (C24) | reduction of screen time (J22) |
| bonus treatment (M52) | improvements in subjective well-being (I31) |