Breaking free from the “digital rabbit hole”: A configurational analysis of in-class smartphone distraction among university students

Smartphone distraction is pervasive in university classrooms, yet our understanding of its determinants remains incomplete. Drawing on complexity theory and the technology–personal–environment framework, this study employs multiple data sets for exploring the primary predictors and their configurations in determining in-class smartphone distraction among university students. Based on the interview data from 15 undergraduate students, seven primary predictors of smartphone distraction were identified. Subsequently, the study delved into the questionnaire data collected from 563 Chinese university students and revealed four combinations of the predictors for in-class smartphone distraction through fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. This study contributes to the literature on in-class smartphone distraction by revealing its complex nature and offering practical strategies for educational practitioners to counteract the adverse effects of smartphone distraction in university classrooms.