Social Media Addiction and the Attention Control Dimension of Self-Regulation as Predictors of Digital Amnesia in Sport Science Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive role of social media addiction and the attention control dimension of self-regulation on digital amnesia among sports science students This study was designed using a correlational survey model within the framework of quantitative research. The study sample consisted of 254 sports science students selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using the Digital Amnesia Scale-Adult Form, the Attention Control Dimension of Self-Regulation Scale, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were applied to analyze the data. According to the results of the multiple linear regression analysis, the predictive model was statistically significant [F (2, 251) = 55.658; p < .001], and the independent variables explained 30.7% of the total variance in digital amnesia (R² = .307). Upon examining the regression coefficients, social media addiction (beta = 0.511, p < 0.001) and the attention control dimension of self-regulation (β = 0.159, p = 0.003) significantly and positively predicted digital amnesia. The findings suggest that the attentional difficulties associated with social media addiction may be related to greater reliance on external information storage, while the positive association between attention control and digital amnesia may indicate that these variables are related in the context of sports science students. Consequently, the study provides evidence that digital amnesia among sports science students may be associated with both social media addiction and the attention control dimension of self-regulation.