Determinants of Digital Distraction: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Users In Africa, China and The U.S.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The promise of instant communication offered by modern information technologies has created digital distractions that reduce employee productivity and erode workplace etiquette (Rigby, 2006; PR Newswire, 2013). Even education is not immune to this. Information technologies such as laptops, tablets, mobile devices, and the Internet are invaluable tools that on the one hand enhance teaching and learning in the classroom (Maki, Maki, Patterson, & Whittaker, 2000; Saunders & Klemming, 2003; Wen, Tsai, Lin, & Chuang, 2004). But on the other hand, they lead to distraction among students while attending classes. There is substantial empirical and anecdotal evidence that suggests that, globally, university students are prone to use these technologies in class for activities that are irrelevant to the classwork (e.g. playing computer games, emailing and texting, engaging in social networks, surfing the web and shopping online) - leading to underperformance in learning (Akst, 2010; Burns & Lohenry, 2010; Campbell, 2006; Hefferman, 2010; Rajeshwar, 2010). Studies have shown that cognitive overload and attention distraction caused by non-class-related technology use in the classroom were negatively associated with course performance and self-reported understanding of course material (Fried, 2008; Junco & Cotton, 2011; Kraushaar & Novak, 2010; Martin, 2011; Wurst, Smarkola, & Gaffney, 2008). As the result, many universities and professors are reacting to this phenomenon by implementing an overall ban on technology use in the classroom (Adams, 2006; Melerdiercks, 2005). Such classroom policies are often deployed without educators' or administrators' full understanding of the underlying causes of why students are drawn to such uses of information technology in the classroom. This is due to the lack of research effort in this area. In fact, there is a paucity of research focused on this issue, and a few prior studies only provide a limited explanation of the motivations behind digital distraction. This paper intends to identify the factors that influence the intensity of in-class digital distraction among university students through an empirical and crosscultural study. A systematic study on the topic will reveal valuable insights regarding the psychological and cognitive factors behind distractive behaviors as well as structural issues in pedagogy. In addition, cross-cultural comparison of university students from three different regions will offer interesting insights on the impact of culture, economy, and technological infrastructure on digital distraction. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. First, as part of the theoretical foundation for this study, the need for a cross-cultural perspective for studying digital distraction among university students is discussed. This is followed by the presentation of the research model of this study and arguments supporting the proposed hypotheses. Next, the research methodology section discusses the measurement development and data collection processes. Data analysis and hypotheses testing results are then presented. This is followed by a discussion of the findings. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing the implications to research and practice, limitations and directions for future research in this area. THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT Cross-Cultural Perspective of Digital Distraction In addition to identifying the underlying reasons behind in-class digital distraction, this study intends to lend insights into cross-cultural differences in the levels of digital distraction, factors influencing digital distraction and strategies to reduce such distraction among three regions that are vastly different in terms of culture, economy and technological infrastructure: U.S., Africa and China. This objective of the study is also motivated by prior studies that have found that individual behaviors in the context of information technology adoption and use do not universally hold across cultures (e. …