Title: Cyberloafing and cognitive engagement: an empirical study among white-collar employees

Authors: Büşra Müceldili; Edanur Doğan

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey ' Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: Recruiting the conservation of resource theory (COR), our research investigates the mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the relationship between cyberloafing and cognitive engagement. Data were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire, yielding 236 replies, and structural equation modelling, utilising AMOS 23, was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings demonstrate that emotional exhaustion influences cyberloafing, and in turn, cyberloafing negatively impacts cognitive engagement. Moreover, the mediating role of cyberloafing was found to be significant and have important implications for managers and HR professionals as they can aid managers in deciding how to enhance cognitive engagement by curbing cyberloafing. Grounded in COR theory, this study suggests that cyberloafing acts as a mediator in the relationship among emotional exhaustion and cognitive engagement.

Keywords: cyberloafing; cognitive engagement; emotional exhaustion; COR theory; procrastination.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2025.147280

Middle East Journal of Management, 2025 Vol.12 No.4, pp.416 - 432

Received: 09 Jan 2024
Accepted: 14 Apr 2024
Published online: 14 Jul 2025 *

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