A Cognitive-Emotional Model From Mobile Short-Form Video Addiction to Intermittent Discontinuance: The Moderating Role of Neutralization

Abstract

Discontinuance is considered very effective in the treatment of IT addiction. However, prior literature on the mechanism from IT addiction to discontinuance has reached inconsistent conclusions. Also, scholars cannot explain why some individuals do not make any changes after becoming addicted, even when they realize that their behavior is not in line with the norms. To fill the gaps, our research developed a cognitive-emotional model, with neutralization as a moderator, to understand the internal mechanism from mobile short-form video addiction to intermittent discontinuance. Based on the online survey of 493 Chinese mobile short-form video users, this study used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to empirically verify our model and hypothesis. The results show that mobile short-form video addiction positively affects cognitive dissonance and emotional fluctuation. And cognitive dissonance and emotional fluctuation are found to have a positive effect on intermittent discontinuance through attitudinal ambivalence. Furthermore, neutralization negatively moderates the relationship between cognitive dissonance and attitudinal ambivalence, emotional fluctuation and attitudinal ambivalence. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.