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Articles

Understanding Push Notification Fatigue: User Tolerance and Management Behavior in Mobile Applications

  • 1* Sripatum University
  • 2,3 Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi

* Corresponding Author: Thanaporn Srisawat

Open Access
DOI
https://doi.org/10.59431/jms.v4i2.992
Published
Pages
106–120

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026)

Journal Mobile Technologies (JMS)
September

Abstract

Push notifications are widely used by mobile applications to deliver timely information and maintain user engagement. However, excessive, repetitive, irrelevant, or poorly timed notifications may contribute to interruption, cognitive burden, emotional irritation, and notification fatigue. This proposed study examines push notification fatigue, user tolerance, and notification management behavior among mobile application users in Thailand. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study will collect data from approximately 280 Android and iOS smartphone users who receive push notifications daily. The study integrates daily notification frequency, perceived notification load, notification relevance, timing appropriateness, actionability, perceived user control, notification fatigue, user tolerance, and management behavior. Respondents will be grouped into light-, medium-, and heavy-notification-load users based on their reported daily notification frequency. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, group comparison tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Open-ended responses will be analyzed through thematic content analysis to identify characteristics of useful and intrusive notifications. The study is expected to contribute to the literature by treating notification fatigue as a distinct user experience rather than a general extension of smartphone overuse, social media fatigue, or technostress. Practically, the study may inform more user-centered notification design by emphasizing relevance, appropriate timing, actionability, proportional urgency, privacy protection, and meaningful user control.

Keywords

Push Notifications Notification Fatigue User Tolerance Notification Management Mobile Applications

How to Cite

Srisawat, T., Wongsuwan, S., & Chaiyaporn, S. (2026). Understanding Push Notification Fatigue: User Tolerance and Management Behavior in Mobile Applications. Journal Mobile Technologies (JMS), 4(2), 106–120. https://doi.org/10.59431/jms.v4i2.992

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Author Biographies

  • Thanaporn Srisawat, Sripatum University

    School of Information Technology, Sripatum University, Bangkok, Thailand

  • Somchai Wongsuwan, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi

    Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, Th

  • Siriporn Chaiyaporn, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi

    Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, Th

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Copyright (c) 2026 Thanaporn Srisawat, Somchai Wongsuwan, Siriporn Chaiyaporn

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