Explaining the link between technostress and technology addiction for social networking sites: A study of distraction as a coping behavior

Abstract

This paper investigates under what conditions stress from the use of SNS is linked to addiction to the use of the same SNS. Integrating three theoretical strands—the concept of feature-rich Information Technology (IT), the theory of technology frames, and distraction as a coping behaviour—we theorize two types of coping behaviours in response to stressors experienced from the use of SNS. These are - distraction through use of the same SNS and distraction through activities outside the use of the SNS. We hypothesize relationships between stressors from SNS use, the two coping behaviours and SNS addiction. We further articulate the role of SNS use habit. We test the hypotheses through a three-wave survey of 444 Facebook users with data collected at three different points in time. The paper's contributions are to theorize and empirically validate the psychological concept of distraction as a coping behaviour in response to stress from the use of SNS and, in doing so, explain why there may be a link between technostress from and technology addiction to the use of the same SNS.