Permanently on Call: The Effects of Social Pressure on Smartphone Users' Self-Control, Need Satisfaction, and Well-Being

While many smartphone users experience social pressure to be available, only some perceive this as a burden. It was hypothesized that this form of social pressure is especially detrimental when it reduces self-control and hinders need satisfaction. Study 1 experimentally tested whether the fulfillment of intrinsic needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in mobile communication mediates these associations. Results show that social pressure negatively affected autonomy and competence, but did not influence relatedness. Repeated-measures data from Study 2 suggest that social pressure leads to self-control failure, which is associated with reduced competence. This research is the first to develop and test a theoretical model of the effects of social pressure to be available on self-control, need satisfaction, and individuals' well-being.