Focus and Distraction 2025 (Dataset, n = 790)

This dataset is part of the Human Clarity Institute’s AI–Human Experience 2025 data series. It examines digital focus, distraction triggers, and the emotional experience of losing focus, including task-sustainability duration, primary sources of digital distraction, and self-reported emotional states linked to focus loss. The dataset includes:• validated 1–7 Likert-scale items• categorical measures of single-task focus duration and perceived focus quality• behavioural indicators such as distraction sources, coping strategies, and focus-maintenance habits• multi-select variables stored as canonical semicolon-delimited snake_case tokens• open-text reflections with minimal safe cleaning (trim + newline removal only)• demographic variables across six English-speaking countries• digital life exposure (daily hours online) and AI-tool usage frequency Data were collected on 3 September 2025 via Prolific from adults in the UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland.All data were cleaned, anonymised, and processed under the Human Clarity Institute’s machine-readable dataset protocol, which includes: • canonical snake_case variable naming• validated numeric and categorical ranges• standardised multi-select formats• minimal safe text cleaning• full alignment with the accompanying data dictionary• removal of Prolific IDs, timestamps, and indirect identifiers• SHA-256 checksums for all files• removal of 6 duplicate submissions (final n = 790) This dataset contributes to understanding how digital environments shape human focus, attention sustainability, and subjective distraction experience, supporting longitudinal tracking of how cognitive load, distraction patterns, and self-regulation behaviours evolve as AI and digital tools become more embedded in everyday life.