International Journal of Economic Sciences and Applied Research 3 (1): 49-74
Internet Addiction among Greek University Students: Demographic Associations with the Phenomenon, using the Greek version of Young’s Internet Addiction Test Christos C. Frangos1, Constantinos C. Frangos2 and Apostolos P. Kiohos3
Abstract Internet addiction (IA) is a new disorder described in 1996 by the psychologist Kimberly Young. The aim of this paper is to estimate the percentage of IA among Greek university students. Results of a sample survey among 1876 Greek university students, 18-27 years old, are presented. The questionnaire consisted of eight questions from Young’s Diagnostic Test for Internet Addiction (YDTIA) as well as an inventory including
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Although the term addiction was combined with technology in England before 1996 (Griffiths, 1995), and even earlier the term ‘computer addiction’ had been used (Shotton, 1991), IA had been mentioned only as an informal phrase by Ivan Goldberg, MD in 1995 (Federwisch, 1997; YouTube, 2008), in order to describe excessive use of the Internet. However, it was not until 1996 when the psychologist Kimberly Young gave a first serious account of this disorder, proposing diagnostic criteria and describing the collateral consequences of it on specific groups (Young, 1996a; 1998). The major objections concerning this term were in the use of the word “addiction”: although Young (1998) uses it to define the compulsiveness accompanying this disorder, Internet addiction is also accompanied with underlying maladaptive cognitions, which would be better described psychologically if the term ‘problematic Internet use’ was used (Davis, 2001; Beard and Wolf, 2001). Moreover, some researchers argue that a person’s overuse or abuse of the Internet is a behavioural manifestation of other things that may be problematic in their lives (Thatcher et al., 2008). Nevertheless, the term Internet addiction is frequently used in scholarly journals, such as CyberPsychology & Behavior and Computers in Human Behavior. In a recent attempt to meta-analyse quantitative data on IA, Byun et al. (2009, p. 204) note that the matter of the definition of IA is the first challenge to
One example found in the article of dangerous behavior caused by internet addiction is of a kid killing his mom and injuring his dad because they took away his xbox. Another example is of a couple who cared more about their online baby that forgot to take care of their living baby which ended up dying.
Internet addiction has become a huge problem in today’s society. In Greg Beato’s article, he discusses the growing phenomena of internet addiction disorder. The writer explains that more and more people are becoming addicted to the internet. For example, he tells of a teenager in Ohio, who shot and killed his mom and injured his dad because they took away his Xbox. He tells how it is stated that five to ten percent of the 52 million internet users were addicted. The author is telling us that the internet has become very addictive in our everyday society.
Internet addiction is now considered to be a “grave national health crisis”(Dokoupil 2012, 27). Several cases have emerged where people went completely insane due to the abuse of technology. This was to the extreme where two parents were so addicted to taking care of their virtual baby, they forgot about their real child. The infant was neglected to death. Another case is of a son who turns on his own mother when she suggests “he log[s] off”(27). As a response, the young man beats his mother until she eventually dies. These aren’t the only examples of insanity and for this reason, for the first time in history, “Internet Addiction Disorder will be included...in an
Internet addiction is the psychological condition where the user forges an unhealthy, co-dependent relationship with technology (Litowitz, 2012). The level of consciousness behind the addictive behaviour remains a point of contention between various psychology fields and their expressed opinions and/or empirical data, all searching to fathom the aforementioned binomial relationship and decipher plausible, effective treatments. The binomial relationship is pertinent in each field of psychology, with psychologists, scientists and medical specialists all in agreement that both the characteristics of neuroscience and behaviour and their intricate
The idea behind the internet was to revolutionize society and with over 3 billion individuals using it, it clearly succeeded (ITU, n.d.). However, individuals started coming online to check their email, watch a video, visit Facebook, or play an online game as a habit, may easily become addicted to these behaviors over time. According to the DSM-V, internet addiction applies to individuals who use the internet excessively, often without realizing how much time has passed, how much more they are using the internet and neglecting their basic needs, as well as, ignoring any negative impacts said internet use has caused (dsm). When not using the internet, the individual may feel withdrawal, angry, tense, and/or depressed; in addition, they may feel the need to have a better computer and more software, which is an internet-addicted individual’s form of tolerance (dsm). Time of use per day in those addicted to the internet is nearly double the time those who are not addicted spend online (Lee,
In the article, “Caught in the Web: More People Say Heavy Internet Use is Disrupting Their Lives, and Medical Experts are Paying Attention” by January W. Payne argues that using technology too much, has consequences that can affect the people around, and the individual’s health as well. At the same time, many people use internet excessively, and do not realize that, they might get further from the outside world. According to a research by Stanford University, demonstrated, that people spend on the internet about 3 or more hours daily. Many people are getting addictive to the internet, because they see it as an escape from problems, while others use it as a way to relax themselves. As people addiction to the internet increase, people isolate
This article will guide me through my research because it gives a vast perspective into the addictive world. It explains the issues of internet addiction, how it's emerging as a global concern, also how and why the internet has been integrated in our everyday lives.
Addiction online has become very common in this day and age. With 88.8% of Americans having access to a device with internet there are plenty of individuals who have started drifting away from from their friends and family because of internet addiction. Internet addiction can become very dangerous for youths who are beginning to develop core learning skills which become essential later on in their adult life. It can cause students grades to take a harsh dip. This type of addiction can even cause cause financial problems. It can cause financial problems because of online gambling where a person would end up losing their sense of time and continuously spend their hard earned money on a risky decision that can lead to depression and and has the potential to strain family
Behaviour is something we acquire and shape it to fit our requirements. Behaviour is shaped by an individual’s interaction with culture and environment. This behavioural report will focus on the undesired behaviour, which is the heavy internet usage. The report will aim to establish baseline, monitor the behaviour and execute treatments to reduce and control the undesired behaviour. Internet addiction is defined as the indulgent or overuse of the internet. Extreme internet use occurs daily in my life, regardless during anytime of the day. The undesired behaviour that is the internet addiction has to reduce the usage in order to have a positive impact on the life. The heavy internet usage has to be reduced, and in its place introduce hobbies and time for study. Boredom is the main cause for the need to use internet. In the internet there are comics, television shows and other activities that could help elevate boredom. Due to the heavy internet use, socializing with family and friends have been significantly reduced. The repeated heavy internet usage has an impact on the physical burden and mental stressors on my life. The internet usage has been a repeated behaviour since I was twelve years old. The internet usage has been my repeated behaviour for a long time
The first prediction was that based off of the concluding data, there would be a correlation between the use of the internet, and loneliness and dating anxiety. The second, was that there would be no clear association with the idea of the length one spends online with their feelings when they are not participating in online activities. Another prediction was that there is a correlation between gender and problematic internet usage. The authors also predicted that there would be significantly different evidence that students who have developed dating relationships over the internet while also developing problematic internet use. One of the last predictions that were clearly stated hypothesized the idea that there would be a difference between the levels of problematic internet use and the length that students are occupied by the internet. This infatuation could lead to the students developing psychological problems, such as isolation, and other social
Various models have been designed to explain the how IAD develops in an individual and how it is then maintained. These models draw from different fields of psychology such to determine different theorised causes for the addiction such as biological factors (such as chemical imbalances making one more susceptible to addiction), psychological predispositions (such as other mental health problems or personality) and social factors (such as culture, socio-economic standing and acceptance of the Internet from others). Whilst these factors are dependant on the individual, some studies include the nature and attributes of the Internet itself. Some models include the cognitive-behavioural model of problematic Internet use, the access, affordability and anonymity engine, the anonymity, convenience and escape model and the comprehensive model of the development and maintenance of Internet addiction.
A new epidemic has fallen over America and is spreading like wild fire across the states as more and more fall victim to its claws. That epidemic is known as internet addiction which many of today’s youths are prone to due to the widespread usage of technology. Excessive use of the internet has proven hazardous to the generation because it decreases cognitive ability, impairs social development, and increases health problems. Since the current American society relies heavily on technology and web searches through google, the internet has become a necessary essential and making addiction almost inevitable.
Kwiatkowska examined 100 students aged 19 to 24 years old and resulted that due to long term stay online, young people have problem in learning, work and family’s duties, online stay above 5 hours a day maybe followed by increased risk of addiction (Kwiatkowska et.al, 2007). Excessive user and addictive user may face some problems due to their Internet usage problem.
In the article, “The Bad, the Ugly, and the Good of kids Use of Social Media,” Jim Taylor gives us a definition of the phrase internet addiction. He states, “Internet addiction is commonly characterized as excessive use of internet that interferes with daily functioning and that can lead to distress or harm,”. The addiction from the internet surely has a price to pay. Internet addiction is harmful psychologically, addictions to the internet shouldn’t be our only concern when it comes to social media, and internet addiction has no age limit.
There is not a clear stated definition of digital addiction however Shaw and Black (2008) characterize Internet addiction by excessive or poorly preoccupations, urges or behaviours regarding computer use and internet access that lead to impairment or distress. However as the term addict is a strong description DA is seen as a general misuse of the internet in various forms, as no formal definition exists the author sees the disorder as problematic computer usage resulting in negative consequences. According to Young et al DA is a broad term covering a wide variety of behaviours and impulse control problems. K.Young (1999) also categorised DA into five subtypes of DA, they are cybersexual addiction, cyberrelationship addiction; net compulsion (e.g. gambling or shopping on the internet); information overload (e.g. compulsive database searching); and computer addiction (excessive game-playing). This project highlights social network addiction which falls into the category of cyberrelationship addiction but also contemplates all other types.