CC BY
18
Section 1. Other Aspects of Psychology
Blokhina Iryna Oleksandrivna, cand. of psych. senc., associate professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy The National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" E-mail: [email protected] Moskalenko Olga Volodymyrivna, cand. of psych. senc., Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy The National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" E-mail: [email protected]
THE QUESTION OF INTERNET ADDICTION AMONG THE MODERN COLLEGE-AGE POPULATION
Abstract: The article deals with the phenomenon of Internet addiction, as well as the types and diagnostic criteria of Internet addiction. The results of the empirical study of Internet addiction among the college-age population are presented. The changes in various life spheres resulting from the excessive use of Internet resources are analyzed.
Keywords: Internet addiction, types of Internet addiction, Internet addiction criteria, Internet space, college-age populaton.
The rapid development of human capacity due to An American scientist K. Young, who studied the
the progress of information technology foregrounds preconditions for the Internet addiction emergence,
a number of issues today's society is facing. The ex- developed its model, according to which Internet ad-
pansion of the Internet in various spheres of life diction arises as a consequence of the accessibility
caused its pathological use. of the corresponding actions, control over personal
The phenomenon of Internet addiction was first actions and the consequences of personal decisions,
studied by a psychiatrist I. Goldberg and a clinical as well as emotional excitement as a result of the
psychologist K. Young. According to I. Goldberg, In- personal activities [1]. Based on the results of the
ternet addiction is a personality disorder resulting research, the scientist identified five main types of
from the excessive Internet and computer use having Internet addiction [3]:
a detrimental effect on the everyday, educational, so- 1. Computer addiction - obsessive work in front
cial, job-related, family, financial and psychological of a computer (programming, computer games or
spheres of human activity [4]. other activities);
2. Net compulsion - compulsive web surfing or database searches;
3. Information overload - pathological online gambling, online trading or shopping etc.;
4. Cyber-sexual addiction - "cybersex" addiction, that is, visiting pornographic sites, discussing sexual topics in chat rooms or closed groups "for adults";
5. Cyber-communication addiction - dependence on communication in social networks, forums, chats, group games and teleconferencing, which can lead to the replacement of communication with real family members and friends by the virtual ones.
V. Mendelevich suggested another typology of the Internet addicted people, distinguishing the following types: Internet gamblers, Internet workaholics, Internet sexaholiks, Internet erotaholics, Internet shoppers and Internet relationship addicts [2].
Following the research results and systematiza-tion of the Internet addiction criteria, a researcher M. Orzack divided them into psychological and physical ones. The psychological features of Internet addiction include a state of emotional excitement or euphoria while staying at a computer; an increased duration of stay in the Internet space; the inability to timely finish an Internet session; avoiding the relevant personal affairs and responsibilities; ignoring problems in the educational (professional) sphere; the inability to distract from staying in the Internet space; despair and irritation due to the forced session interruption; obsessive thoughts about the Internet and uncontrolled desire to resume an interrupted session; excessive investment of material resources to ensure the Internet access; avoidance of criticism of such a lifestyle, as well as lying about the frequency and duration of stay in the Internet space. Among the physical features of the Internet addiction, the scientist mentionscarpal tunnel syndrome, dryness of mucous membranes of the eyes, migraines, back pain, irregular nutrition, contempt of the rules of personal hygiene, sleep disorders [5].
The following scientists also showed interest in studying the problem of computer addiction:
N. Bugayova, R. Granovska, A. Horlova, M. Drepa, T. Dubrova, L. Yerhieva, N. Kuznetsova, O. Lysenko, G. Mead, O Makarenko, O. Postova, M. Stepanova, A. Timofeev, A. Uskova, S. Fadeeva, R. Folberg, A. Freedman, A. Chambers, G. Chayka, T. Shybu-tani and others.
The purpose of the study was to identify online addiction among the contemporary college-age population.
We define Internet addiction as a compulsive desire to connect to the Internet space, stay there for a long time, and a difficulty of disconnecting from the network.
The main method of research was a questionnaire, and the respondents supposed to determine the purpose and duration of the Internet resources use and emotional changes as a possible consequence of the excessive Internet use. Furthermore, the changes in the process of the survey participants' face-to-face communication, academic performance and household habits caused by the excessive Internet use were researched. One hundred and five students from higher education institutions of the first and fifth years were involved in the survey.
The developed questionnaire contained open and closed questions on the study of the peculiarities of the Internet resources use by the collage-age population.
Based on scientific research (S. Varlamov, E. Hon-charov, I. Sokolov, T. Matsiokha, V. Mendelevich, K. Young etc.), we have developed the following valid and measurable criteria of Internet addiction:
- amount of time spent on the Internet;
- the purpose of staying online;
- affective changes as a result of excessive stay/ inability to stay online;
- decline in job-, academic-, household-related performance due to the excessive Internet use;
- changes in the process of face-to-face communication.
The empirical data processing was carried out using the cluster analysis method, which resulted
into four groups of respondents with different degree of Internet addiction divided according to selected criteria.
The first group is characterized by the following combination of Internet addiction criteria: staying online for five or more hours a day, the purpose of staying in the Internet space is not clearly defined, the affective changes are pronounced, a significant performance degradation in all spheres of life, negative qualitative and quantitative changes in the process of face-to-face communication.
The second group is characterized by the following combination of Internet addiction criteria: staying online for up to five hours a day, the purpose of staying in the Internet space varies, the affective changes are pronounced, performance degradation is present in certain spheres of life, as well as qualitative and quantitative changes in the process of face-to-face communication.
The third group features the following criteria: staying online for 2-3 hours a day, the purpose of staying in the Internet space is clearly defined and is connected with communication and training, no pronounced affective changes, minor situational changes in certain spheres of life, the absence of negative qualitative and quantitative changes in the process of face-to-face communication.
The fourth group comprises the following set of criteria: staying online for 1-3 hours a day, the purpose of staying online is clearly defined and is connected with communication and cognitive activity, lack of affective changes, lack of changes in all spheres of life, the absence of negative qualitative and quantitative changes in the process of face-to-face communication.
As a result of the empirical data processing, the first group included 7% of the respondents. For the respondents staying online for longer periods (five or more hours a day), the obsessive surfing ("trips" on the network, information search in electronic databases and through the search engines without a clearly defined purpose), participation in network
computer games, virtual acquaintances etc. are more typical. The main affective changes within the discussed group of the respondents include mood boost and euphoria while staying online, irritability and aggression occurring when attempting to cut down the session, increased level of reactive and personal anxiety, and conflicts with those who do not share the excessive passion to the Internet. While staying on the Internet, the respondents from this group demonstrate, as a rule, the inability to distract from a session to manage household affairs, educational activities, meet personal needs, and sometimes even to meet basic needs. Among the qualitative changes in the process of face-to-face communication, there is a significant decrease in the percentage of direct interaction: narrowing circle of friends and acquaintances for "live communication", as well as the reduced emotionality. The set of the established criteria allows us to attribute the discussed respondents to the group of people with the formed Internet addiction. The confirmation of this conclusion is found in the studies ofM. Orzack, M. Nosov, K. Young.
The second group consists of41% of respondents. The length of stay online (up to five hours a day) is defined by a certain purpose, which varies depending on the actual activities: information search, cognitive interest, entertainment and communication in social networks. The affective changes include both negative (depressed mood due to the session cut down, irritability, frustration), and positive (mood lift, increase in activity).It should be noted that according to the "decline in job-, academic-, household-related performance due to the excessive Internet use" criteria, the significant difference, compared to the first group of respondents, was not noted. The representatives of this group also experience the prevailed inability to stop the session to perform household affairs and to meet personal needs. Face-to-face communication between the respondents of the second group is characterized by negative changes (reduction of the percentage of
direct interaction, narrowing of the circle of friends and acquaintances for "live communication" and the reduced emotionality), as well as the positive ones (becoming less shy and more self-confident, bigger circle of like-minded in certain questions people). Summarizing the above-mentioned set of criteria, it can be affirmed that the respondents from this group belong to the individuals who have the initial signs of Internet addiction.
The biggest percentage of respondents forming the third group make 50%. This group is characterized by short periods of time in the network (up to three hours a day), having a clearly defined purpose. The actual needs and interests of the individual, including communication, interaction and cognitive needs satisfaction, determine the trends of the Internet resources usage. The respondents in the third group have no pronounced affective changes. The main life sphere undergoing minor changes is the domestic one. Such changes include delaying or neglecting the everyday affairs, simplifying and minimizing the amount of daily duties. The sphere of face-to-face communication does not undergo qualitative and quantitative changes. The combination of certain criteria allows us to conclude that there is no Internet addiction among the respondents of the third group.
The smallest percentage of respondents (2%) forms the fourth group, for which a short stay in the Internet with a clearly defined purposeis typical. The Internet sessions of the group representatives are defined by the inability to meet the urgent needs
using other resources. No changes in affective and communicative spheres are observed, the criteria of educational and personal activity of the individual remain stable. This set of criteria makes it possible to conclude that the respondents of this group have no Internet addiction.
There was an interesting fact: none of the survey participants identified themselves as an Internet addict.
Thus, the theoretical and empirical research makes it possible to draw the following conclusions. The Internet addiction the modern youth is facing today is a pressing issue, deserving special attention of scientists, since it develops rapidly and dynamically. Its escalation among the collage-age population, in spite of all the advantages of mass cybernation of the population, has serious social and psychological consequences. The conducted questionnaire survey allowed distinguishing four groups of respondents defined by varying degree of Internet addiction. The representatives of the collage-age population who joined the groups already having Internet addiction and its initial features, undergo the destructive changes in many spheres of life: academic, everyday, job-related and communicative. The students forming the third and fourth groups do not have Internet addiction that is reflected in all spheres of their lives having no destructive changes. The problem of Internet addiction is to be solved by creating recommendations for its prevention and reducing the degree of addiction.
References:
1. Drepa M. I. Internet Dependence as an Object of Scientific Reflection in Contemporary Psychology / M. I. Drepa // Humanitarian expertise,- 2009.- No. 2.- P. 189-193. URL: http://www.zpu-journal.ru/ zpu/contents/2009/2/Drepa/29.pdf [ in Russian].
2. A Guide for Addictology / Ed. byprof. V. D. Mendelevich.- St. Petersburg.: Speech,- 2007.- 768 p. [in Russian].
3. Young K. Internet Addiction / K. Young // World of Internet,-2000.- No. 2.- P. 24-29. [in Russian].
4. Goldberg I. Internet addiction disorder // CyberPsychol. Behavior, - 1996.- V. 3.- No. 4.- P. 403-412.
5. OrzackM. H. Computer addiction: What is it? // Psychiatric Times,- 1998.- V. 15.- No. 8.- P. 34-38.
