Focus and Distraction 2025 Dataset
A de-identified open dataset of 790 participants from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.
Examines how notifications, multitasking, and online behaviours influence perceived focus, productivity, and energy.
Measures include notification frequency and interruption patterns, perceived ability to concentrate, task-switching behaviours, mental fatigue, productivity impacts, energy levels, strategies used to manage distraction, digital life exposure, attitudes toward technology use, and demographic variables across six English-speaking countries.
Part of the Human Clarity Institute’s AI–Human Experience Data Series.
Framework
HRL domain(s): Attention & Cognitive Load , Meaning & Behavioural Alignment
Registry Construct Alignment: Attention Capacity , Cognitive Load , Behavioural Alignment , Meaning Coherence
Listed constructs reflect strict variable-level registry mapping and do not represent the full thematic scope of this dataset.
DOI and Repository Links
Citation
APA
Human Clarity Institute (2025). Focus and Distraction Dataset. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17394086
BibTeX
@dataset{hci_ai_human_2025,
author = {Human Clarity Institute},
title = {Focus and Distraction 2025 Dataset},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.17394086},
url = {https://humanclarityinstitute.com/datasets/focus-distraction-2025/},
license = {CC-BY-4.0}
}
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
You are free to share, adapt, and build upon this dataset for any purpose, even commercially, provided appropriate credit is given to the Human Clarity Institute.
Full licence text: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Study Methodology
This dataset forms part of the Human Clarity Institute’s Human–AI Experience research programme, examining how digital environments shape attention stability, distraction patterns, perceived busyness, cognitive strain, and behavioural alignment in everyday life. The study uses a cross-sectional online survey design and focuses on descriptive patterns in how people experience focus and interruption in digitally mediated environments.
Data were collected on 3 September 2025 via the Prolific research platform from adults across English-speaking countries. Participants provided explicit informed consent for anonymised data publication as part of HCI’s open research programme.
Sampling & participants
- Clean dataset: 790 valid responses
- Countries: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland
- Eligibility: Adults (18+) fluent in English
- Recruitment platform: Prolific
Study limitations
- The survey uses a non-probability convenience sample and is not nationally representative.
- Results are based on self-reported responses and reflect perceived experiences.
- The study uses a cross-sectional design, capturing responses at a single point in time.
- The dataset is descriptive and exploratory and does not support causal inference.
Why Can’t I Focus?
Why Can’t I Focus? examines the hidden costs of digital distraction and how continual interruption competes with attention, reflection, and clarity about what matters most.
Values vs Noise
Values vs Noise explores how digitally saturated environments compete with attention, reflection, and internally guided priorities — shaping coherence, direction, and meaningful human functioning over time.
Data use and reuse terms are outlined in our Data Use & Disclaimer.