Code for: Digital Addiction

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Hunt Allcott, Microsoft Research and NBER; Matthew Gentzkow, Stanford University and NBER; Lena Song, New York University

Version:  View help for Version V2

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  analysis 04/15/2022 10:22:AM
  data 04/15/2022 10:22:AM
  docs 04/15/2022 10:23:AM
  experiment_design 04/15/2022 10:23:AM
  lib 04/15/2022 10:23:AM
  paper_slides 04/15/2022 10:25:AM
  setup 03/26/2023 09:54:PM
LICENSE-code.md text/x-web-markdown 1.1 KB 04/15/2022 06:22:AM
LICENSE-data.md text/x-web-markdown 13.2 KB 04/15/2022 06:22:AM
README.md text/x-web-markdown 21 KB 03/26/2023 05:46:PM

Project Citation: 

Allcott, Hunt, Gentzkow, Matthew , and Song, Lena. Code for: Digital Addiction. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2023. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2023-04-07. https://doi.org/10.3886/E163822V2

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary
Many have argued that digital technologies such as smartphones and social media are addictive. We develop an economic model of digital addiction and estimate it using a randomized experiment. Temporary incentives to reduce social media use have persistent effects, suggesting social media are habit forming. Allowing people to set limits on their future screen time substantially reduces use, suggesting self-control problems. Additional evidence suggests people are inattentive to habit formation and partially unaware of self-control problems. Looking at these facts through the lens of our model suggests that self-control problems cause 31 percent of social media use.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms Habit formation; projection bias; self-control; temptation; naivete; commitment devices; randomized experiments; social media
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      D12 Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
      D61 Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
      D90 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: General
      D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
      I31 General Welfare; Well-Being
      L86 Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
      O33 Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 3/2020 – 7/2020
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) experimental data


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Published Versions

V2 [2023-04-07]

V1 [2022-06-24]

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