Struggling or Shifting? Deciphering potential influences of cyberbullying perpetration and communication overload on mobile app switching intention through social cognitive approach

Abstract

Despite the burgeoning corpus of research examining mobile app switching intention and the expansion of related studies, the specific influences and motivations behind young people's mobile app switching intention caused by environmental factors such as cyberbullying remain underexplored. Drawing on social cognitive perspective, this empirical study establishes a conceptual research model to explore how individual states (depressive mood and mobile app fatigue) mediate environmental factors (cyberbullying perpetration and communication overload) that lead to mobile app switching intention among young generation. Additionally, the study delves into the intricate interplay among these variables. Analysis of data collected from 866 young people demonstrates that cyberbullying perpetration and communication overload are important factors contributing to depressive mood and mobile app fatigue. Furthermore, depressive mood and mobile app fatigue are found to positively influence mobile app switching intention. This research addresses a significant lacuna in our understanding of mobile app switching dynamics within younger demographics, thus providing fresh perspectives on the foundational mechanisms of such behaviors. The insights gleaned from this study not only deepen our understanding from a social cognitive approach but also provide mobile app developers with actionable strategies to enhance app functionalities and foster user retention in an increasingly saturated mobile app marketplace.