The curvilinear relationship between cyberloafing and academic performance among college students: an empirical evidence from China
Yirong Guo, Yifan Song & Jianpeng Guo
Abstract
The digital transformation in education and the widespread use of mobile devices have blurred the boundaries between students’ learning and entertainment, increasing the prevalence of cyberloafing among college students. To address the inconsistent effects of cyberloafing on academic achievement, this study proposed a curvilinear relationship based on the cognitive load theory (CLT) and the effort-recovery model (ERM). We collected data through a nationwide survey conducted in Chinese higher education institutions, with a total of 98,360 valid responses. A polynomial regression analysis was used to examine the non-linear relationship between the extent of cyberloafing and college students’ academic performance. The findings suggested an inverted U-shaped association between college students’ cyberloafing behavior and their academic performance, indicating that moderate levels of cyberloafing may enhance academic achievement, whereas excessive cyberloafing was associated with a decline in academic performance. Furthermore, physical exercise played a buffering role in this inverted U-shaped relationship, with college students who engaged in lower levels of exercise experiencing a more pronounced adverse effect of cyberloafing on their academic performance compared with their physically active peers. By adopting a dialectical approach, this research sheds light on the complexities and nuances of cyberloafing, thereby enriching our comprehension of this phenomenon. In terms of practice, the findings of this study can help students harness its positive effects while minimizing the negative effects.
Education and Information Technologies, Published: 31 March 2025, Volume 30, pages 18327–18346, (2025)
