Self-Control in Cyberspace: Applying Dual Systems Theory to a Review of Digital Self-Control Tools

Ulrik Lyngs, Kai Lukoff, Petr Slovak, Reuben Binns, Adam Slack, Michael Inzlicht, Max Van Kleek, Nigel Shadbolt

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference paperpeer-review

110 Citations (Scopus)
1079 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Many people struggle to control their use of digital devices. However, our understanding of the design mechanisms that support user self-control remains limited. In this paper, we make two contributions to HCI research in this space: first, we analyse 367 apps and browser extensions from the Google Play, Chrome Web, and Apple App stores to identify common core design features and intervention strategies afforded by current tools for digital self-control. Second, we adapt and apply an integrative dual systems model of self-regulation as a framework for organising and evaluating the design features found. Our analysis aims to help the design of better tools in two ways: (i) by identifying how, through a well- established model of self-regulation, current tools overlap and differ in how they support self-control; and (ii) by using the model to reveal underexplored cognitive mechanisms that could aid the design of new tools.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PublisherACM New York, NY, USA
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)9781450359702
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2019

Publication series

NameProceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PublisherACM Press

Keywords

  • Addiction
  • Attention
  • Distraction
  • Focus
  • ICT non-use
  • Interruptions
  • Self-control
  • Self-regulation

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