Published Online:January 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Knowledge Management
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJKM030126
DOI:10.71329/IUPJKM/2026.24.1.62-84
Author Name:Shibu N S
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Strategic
Download Format:PDF
Pages:62-84
Smartphones are a constant presence now in classrooms and study spaces. While connectivity improves access to digital learning resources, it also creates opportunities for students to engage in nonacademic online activities during study time. This study investigates how cyberloafing affects academic performance among university students through the mediating role of academic procrastination and the moderating role of self-regulation. Using a cross-sectional design and a multi-city sample from Chennai, Coimbatore, and Tiruchirappalli, data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that cyberloafing significantly increases academic procrastination, which in turn reduces academic performance. Cyberloafing also has a direct negative effect on performance. Procrastination partially mediates this relationship. Self-regulation significantly weakens both the cyberloafing-procrastination link and the cyberloafing-performance link, and the conditional indirect effects confirm a moderated mediation pattern. These findings highlight that cyberloafing is not merely an intrusive online activity but a behavior that undermines academic outcomes unless offset by strong self-regulatory skills. The study enriches digital-behavior research in the Indian context and offers practical insights for integrating self-regulation training, redesigning classroom digital policies, and fostering digital discipline in Tamil Nadu’s technology-rich learning environments
Higher education in India has undergone a significant digital transformation over the last decade, and Tamil Nadu stands out as one of the most technologically-integrated states in this shift.