Focused, not lost: the mediating role of Temporal Dissociation and Focused Immersion on Problematic Internet Use

The internet has become an irreplaceable instrument for people of the twenty-first century. In light of Activity Theory, it can be considered the technological element in functional organs which augment a person’s ability to carry out activities and achieve specific goals. In its capacity as a tool, the internet can lead to the risk of ‘inverse instrumentality’ – the process by which people lose their sense of self-directedness and experience a passive and uncontrolled approach to technology. Past research has stressed the importance of cognitive involvement in technology for a healthy use of the internet. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether cognitive involvement does indeed protect against the misuse of new media, or whether it is antecedent to it. In this study, two dimensions of the Cognitive Absorption Scale (Focused Immersion (FI) and Temporal Dissociation (TD)) were used as mediators between antecedents of internet misuse (Self-control, Mindfulness and Self-esteem) and Problematic Internet Use. Only TD was found to act as a mediator. Furthermore, the scores on the FI scale were positively predicted by levels of Self-esteem and Self-control. This suggests that certain ways of experiencing cognitive involvement are more risky than others. Implications for professionals and ideas for future research are also discussed.