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Psychological perspectives have long been integral to research on mobile media and communication. In this piece, we complete a high-level review of psychology-centered work published in Mobile Media & Communication (MMC). Our “flyover review” affirms that MMC represents a key watering hole for exploring – and debating – the novel psychological implications of mobile technologies. We identify 57 articles across the 10-year history of MMC that are framed around established psychological concepts. Among this sub-sample of articles, we then extract four key themes: 1) psychological predictors of general usage, 2) psychological dynamics of online/offline contexts, 3) psychological well-being and alarmism, and 4) psychological dis/connection to mobile media. Following the review, we ponder the trajectory of psychological research on mobile media, including where it is published and how it can be integrated across fields given its discipline-bending nature. We argue the body of psychological research in MMC is highly phenomenological and correlational, resulting in theoretical fragmentation and limited evidence for mobile media effects. Nonetheless, we suggest Mobile Media & Communication is best positioned to sync the scattered literature on the psychology of mobile media.

Internet-related disorders (IRD) are increasingly becoming a major health issue. IRD are defined as the predominant use of online content, related to a loss of control and continued use despite negative consequences. Despite findings from cross-sectional studies, the causality of pathways accelerating the development of IRD are unclear. While etiological models emphasize the role of personality as risk factor, mutual influences between IRD and personality have not been examined. A prospective study with two assessments was conducted with n = 941 adolescents (mean age of 13.1 years; 10–17 years). Our aim was to validate etiological assumptions and to examine the effects of IRD-symptoms on the maturation of personality. IRD were measured with the Scale of the Assessment of Internet and Computer game Addiction (AICA-S). Personality traits were assessed using the Brief Five Factor Inventory (BFI). Conscientiousness and neuroticism were predictive for IRD symptoms one year later, and were likewise prone to changes depending on incidence or remission of IRD. Conscientiousness and openness moderated the course of IRD symptoms. Our findings point to complex trait–pathology associations. Personality influences the risk of development and maintenance of IRD symptoms and pre-existing IRD-symptoms affect the development of personality. Adaptations to etiological models are discussed and perspectives for novel intervention strategies are suggested.

Abstract: An increasing number of studies indicate that individuals have difficulties in exerting self-control over media use, such as mobile messaging. Specifically, individuals frequently experience that their messenger use conflicts with primary goals (e.g., work tasks), which may cause negative self-conscious emotions such as guilt. At the same time, not checking and answering messages violates a now widely established availability norm, which may trigger negative self-conscious emotions as well. The current study, therefore, tests how goal conflicts and connection cues interact in influencing users’ negative self-conscious emotions about their messenger usage behavior. Drawing on self-control research in conjunction with self-determination theory and theoretical approaches to social norms, we derived hypotheses on the boundary conditions under which the frequency of messenger use causes negative self-conscious emotions. We thereby significantly extend previous research on the self-regulation of mobile media use, which largely assumes that self-control failure results from users’ intrinsic motivation to experience need satisfaction and pleasure and tends to overlook the fact that mediated communication is often extrinsically motivated due to the availability norm. The hypotheses were tested based on a preregistered laboratory experiment.

Mobile connectivity can negatively affect smartphone users by eliciting stress. Past research focused on stress-inducing potentials of smartphone use behaviors and, recently, on the cognitive-motivational engagement with online interactions. However, theoretical perspectives as the mobile connectivity paradox and the IM³UNE model further suggest that digital stress effects may be conditional. A preregistered experience sampling study ( n = 123; 1,427 use episodes) investigated relationships of cognitive-motivational (online vigilance) and behavioral (communication load, media multitasking) smartphone use patterns with perceived stress and introduced two situational boundary conditions (goal conflict, autonomy need dissatisfaction). Results demonstrate that online vigilance can induce stress directly and via increasing communication load. Goal conflict and autonomy need dissatisfaction moderated the influence of online vigilance and media multitasking on stress. Findings are discussed in the context of effect directionality and the need to further investigate boundary conditions in digital well-being research.

The use of social media can have positive and negative effects on psychological well-being. The present article proposes that self-regulation and the related concept of self-control act as central boundary conditions of this relationship. Successfully self-regulated social media use can bolster psychological well-being through mood management and emotion-focused coping as well as through intrinsic need satisfaction. In contrast, poorly self-regulated forms of social media use can result in goal conflict, i.e., the displacement of, and distraction from other activities, which may negatively affect well-being. The article covers relevant factors that influence (un-)successful self-regulation of social media use, including media affordances, social dynamics, as well as trait and state user characteristics, including media habits and mindfulness.