Reframing Digital Disengagement: How Mindsets Promote Digital Self-Regulation

People often struggle to regulate their digital technology use, and many existing interventions, such as screentime limits and digital detox programs, rely on external restrictions with mixed and often short-term effects. This research extends research on technology overuse by examining how consumers experience technology disengagement contingent to active mindsets of self-regulation: either as externally imposed and loss-based or as self-endorsed and gain-based. In particular, we examine through the lens of the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO), conceptualized as a positive mindset toward digital disengagement, in contrast to the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Drawing on self-determination and regulatory focus theories, we propose that JOMO enhances state authenticity, which in turn strengthens perceived technology freedom and supports digital self-regulation. Across four studies using a multi-method research design (including a text-mining study of 210,706 YouTube comments, two preregistered experiments, and a two-week field intervention), we find convergent support for this account. Findings suggest that JOMO increases state authenticity, which in turn enhances perceived technology freedom, digital well-being, and lowers social media usage. These findings contribute to research on digital well-being, authenticity, and technology overuse by showing that digital disengagement depends on specific selfregulatory mindsets and is more effective when it is experienced as self-endorsed (JOMO) rather than externally imposed (FOMO). Practical interventions for mitigating digital dependency using JOMO (vs. FOMO) mindsets are also discussed.