Social Consequences of the Internet for Adolescents: A Decade of Research

ABSTRACT— Adolescents are currently the defining users of the Internet. They spend more time online than adults do, and they use the Internet for social interaction more often than adults do. This article discusses the state of the literature on the consequences of online communication technologies (e.g., instant messaging) for adolescents' social connectedness and well-being. Whereas several studies in the 1990s suggested that Internet use is detrimental, recent studies tend to report opposite effects. We first explain why the results of more recent studies diverge from those of earlier studies. Then, we discuss a viable hypothesis to explain the recent findings: the Internet-enhanced self-disclosure hypothesis. Finally, we discuss some contingent factors that may deserve special attention in future research.     

Online mental health treatment: concerns and considerations.

Concerns and considerations have emerged as mental health professionals contemplate the provision of mental health treatment over the Internet. This paper identifies perceptions of online mental health treatment among a national sample of 2,098 social workers, psychologists, and other professionals. These professionals were unlikely to provide online mental health treatment, although some used the Internet as an adjunct to clinical practice. They noted specific concerns related to the provision of mental health treatment online, including confidentiality of client information and liability issues. We explore these issues and discuss implications for professionals who provide mental health treatment.     

Ethical issues in a study of Internet use: uncertainty, responsibility, and the spirit of research relationships

In this article we explore ethical issues arising in a study of home Internet use by low-income families. We consider questions of our responsibility as educational researchers and discuss the ethical implications of some unanticipated consequences of our study. We illustrate ways in which the principles of research ethics for use of human subjects can be ambiguous and possibly inadequate for anticipating potential harm in educational research. In this exploratory research of personal communication technologies, participants experienced changes that were personal and relational. These unanticipated changes in their way of being complicated our research relationships, testing the boundaries of our committment to the principle of trustworthiness and forcing us to reevaluate our responsibilities.     

Ethical issues in a Study of Internet Use: Uncertainty,Responsibility, and the Spirit of Research Relationships

In this article we explore ethical issues arising in a study of home Internet use by low-income families. We consider questions of our responsibility as educational researchers and discuss the ethical implications of some unanticipated consequences of our study. We illustrate ways in which the principles of research ethics for use of human subjects can be ambiguous and possibly inadequate for anticipating potential harm in educational research. In this exploratory research of personal communication technologies, participants experienced changes that were personal and relational. These unanticipated changes in their way of being complicated our research relationships, testing the boundaries of our commitment to the principle of trustworthiness and forcing us to reevaluate our responsibilities.     

Escort Advertisements and Male Patronage of Prostitutes

Sociologists have devoted limited attention to investigating reasons for male patronage of female prostitutes. To date this research has largely been comprised of non-representative samples of clients. We expand sociological inquiry of this question through a content analysis of the advertisements of 237 female Internet escorts who advertise on a large, national-in-scope (U.S.A.) website. Our findings largely complement those of previous studies that have examined this topic via interviews with clients or prostitutes as well as those of studies that analyzed johns' postings on Internet websites. Offerings of “Girl Friend Experiences,” unrushed encounters, and escort-type services are more common than offerings of anal sex, S&M, B&D, and fetish services. We also discuss the impact of the Internet on the structure of one of society's oldest institutions.     

A taxometric analysis of actual Internet sports gambling behavior

This article presents findings from the first taxometric study of actual gambling behavior to determine whether we can represent the characteristics of extreme gambling as qualitatively distinct (i.e., taxonic) or as a point along a dimension. We analyzed the bets made during a 24-month study period by the 4,595 most involved gamblers among a cohort of 48,114 people using an Internet service to gamble on sporting events. We applied two taxometric procedures (i.e., MAMBAC and MAXCOV) to three indicators of betting behavior: total money lost, total number of bets, and total money wagered. The results fail to provide support for the view that the most involved Internet sports gamblers include a distinct category of gamblers. More research is necessary to clarify the similar features of recreational and extreme gamblers and the dimensions that scientists can use to measure these behaviors. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for clinical, research, and public policy activities.     

Lost sleep and cyberloafing: Evidence from the laboratory and a daylight saving time quasi-experiment

The Internet is a powerful tool that has changed the way people work. However, the ubiquity of the Internet has led to a new workplace threat to productivity-cyberloafing. Building on the ego depletion model of self-regulation, we examine how lost and low-quality sleep influence employee cyberloafing behaviors and how individual differences in conscientiousness moderate these effects. We also demonstrate that the shift to Daylight Saving Time (DST) results in a dramatic increase in cyberloafing behavior at the national level. We first tested the DST-cyberloafing relation through a national quasi-experiment, then directly tested the relation between sleep and cyberloafing in a closely controlled laboratory setting. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory, practice, and future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

Surfing for sex: Studying involuntary celibacy using the internet

The Internet offers possibilities for sexuality research that could not have been imagined even a decade ago. Although Internet users are not representative of the general population, they are easily accessible, and the openness with which they discuss sensitive topics has created a tremendous and largely untapped pool of respondents for sex research. Moreover, the web provides access to populations that are largely hidden and difficult to reach using traditional methods. In this article, we explore such issues as sampling, research design, data collection and management, and the ethics of web-based research. In doing so, we review past research, investigate the advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet in sexuality studies, draw examples from our web-based study of involuntary celibacy, and recommend guidelines for future web based inquiries.     

Internet Infidelity

SUMMARY

We used a multi-phase Delphi methodology to identify and explore critical issues, interventions, and gender differences in the treatment of Internet infidelity. We developed three representative vignettes related to Internet infidelity and asked twenty experts in extramarital affairs and/or sex addiction to respond to them, both through ratings and open-ended comments. We found little agreement among the experts. We discuss the unique features of Internet relationships, the areas of agreement and disagreement that we found among the experts, and the implications of our findings and the nature of Internet infidelity for both practice and training in marriage and family therapy.     

Infidelity

SUMMARY

In this article, we provide an overview of infidelity theory, research, and treatment. We discuss the effect of infidelity on couples and delineate three types of infidelityemotional, physical, and infidelity including aspects of both. Further, we expand traditional thinking about infidelity by reviewing the role of the Internet in infidelity, and explore infidelity within the context of comarital relationships. Finally, we discuss the overarching theories and common models used in infidelity treatment.     

Editing a book on the World-Wide Web with 29 collaborators in 8 countries in 12 months: A case in survival tactics

We describe the techniques that we devised to enable authors who had never met physically to collaborate on a large-scale writing project. The goal was to use the Internet to simulate the close interactions that are possible in a traditional conference to foster cross-fertilization of ideas and to increase the coherence of the book we were writing. We discuss areas that should concern those who consider using the Internet for collaborative work.     

Using the Internet to find offline sex partners.

We aimed to expand upon the demographic characteristics and gender differences among those who have met someone on the Internet who they later met offline and had sex with as well as any relationship with cybersex, sexually transmitted infections, and online sexual problems. We analyzed data collected through an online questionnaire in 2002 in Sweden including a total population of 1836 respondents of which 1458 used the Internet for sexual purposes. Of those, 35% men and 40% women reported to have met offline sex partners online. The majority reported an occurrence of one to two times, whereas 10% reported six or more times. The analysis suggested women aged 34-49 and 50-65 years, homo- and bisexual men, and singles more likely to have this experience. They were also more likely to have engaged in cybersex. No relationships were found with sexually transmitted infections or online sexual problems. The results suggest that using the Internet to find sex partners may be less hazardous for the general Internet users than pointed out by prior research about this behavior often focusing on specific sub groups of Internet users.     

Patterns of choices on video game genres and Internet addiction

In this study, we attempt to identify motives pivotal in choices made regarding online and offline game genres and assess whether they are meaningful predictors of Internet addiction. A separate goal was to determine how an assessment of Internet-related cognitions compares to criteria-based research instruments on Internet addiction, and demonstrate its clinical usefulness. We are using data from a cross-sectional study of the entire adolescent student population aged 12-18 of the island of Kos. Results indicate that specific game genres and motives for choosing a game are important predictors of Internet addiction, even after accounting for sociodemographic and Internet-use-related variables. Gender differences are not statistically important when we account for genre choices and motives for choosing them. Boys' thought content tends to revolve more around their Internet use compared to girls. Several patterns of motives to play specific genres were identified with the help of a canonical correlation analysis, demonstrating the fact that the simple observation of overt behavior is not enough to deduce the meaning of these actions for the individual. Using multiple measures of online addiction, examining genre preferences and underlying motives for choosing a game can be helpful in reaching a better understanding of the individual game player.     

WebDiP: A tool for information search experiments on the World-Wide Web

We describe WebDiP (Web Decision Processes)—an open-source, online tool—which enables a researcher to track participants while they search for information in a database, available through the Internet. After various instructions on setup and configuration are given, a detailed view of WebDiP explains the system’s technical features. Furthermore, other open-source tools are mentioned that helped in programming WebDiP, running it, or analyzing data gathered with it. We present new approaches of how open-source thinking can be incorporated into a research process and discuss future perspectives of WebDiP.     

Online mental health resources for adolescents: Overview of research and theory

Adolescents use the Internet at higher rates than any other age group. The Internet therefore offers an obvious opportunity for the provision of mental health information for them. Little is known, however, about adolescent behaviour online, especially access of age‐appropriate mental health resources. This review of the published literature examines theoretical and research studies to develop an understanding of adolescent mental health‐seeking behaviour on the Internet. It is clear that adolescents do seek health information online, but little is known about its content, nature or mode of delivery. There appears to be no research specific to mental health resources for adolescents online.     

The political pluralisation of American evangelicals: how old media built a movement,and why the Internet is poised to change it

Although religious movements are a powerful force in politics, there has been relatively little work that adequately analyses the relationship between communication technologies and Christian political mobilisation in the United States. In addressing this deficit, this article has three interrelated objectives. First, it traces the impact of media technology on the evangelical project, paying specific attention to radio and television, and argues that these two media have had a largely unifying influence. Second, it seeks a better understanding of the impact of the Internet upon evangelical organisations by reviewing relevant academic literature in the context of on-the-ground developments. In doing so, the authors argue that instead of working to facilitate greater unity among evangelicals, as radio and television did in the past, the Internet is instead fragmenting and polarising them. Third, and more speculatively, they discuss implications for a fragmented evangelical community, and call upon scholars to conduct more research into recent developments in communications technology as it relates to Christian political mobilisation in the United States. Combined, these goals work to illustrate the complex relationship between media, religious organisations, and mass political mobilisation.     

Feminism and the Decade of Behavior

This Psychology of Women Quarterly special issue argues that the goals of the Decade of Behavior to foster a healthier, safer, better educated, more prosperous, and more democratic nation cannot be achieved without contributions from feminist psychology. Its individual articles reflect feminist perspectives and provide examples of how feminist perspectives can inform behavioral and social research within Decade domains. In this overview, we outline the challenges that gender poses to achieving Decade goals, and discuss four cross-cutting feminist principles for research to address those challenges: Inclusiveness and Diversity, Context, Power and Privilege, and Activism. We discuss specific limitations of traditional research, and emphasize the need for new models that view the world in more complex, context-based ways. We underscore the importance of generating new, diversity-mindful research questions and of developing and accepting new methods to answer them. We discuss policy implications, stressing the need for activism. We hope this work will encourage the expansion of feminist scholarship in the new millennium and be helpful to researchers, educators, and policymakers in working to achieve the goals of the Decade of Behavior.     

Methodological challenges in treatment outcome research with ethnic minorities

Treatment outcome research focused on ethnic minorities is critically needed to eliminate mental health disparities. Because the conduct of treatment outcome research with ethnic minorities is difficult and complex, we discuss key challenges and present some methodological options suited to provide answers to specific types of questions. We focus first on the randomized clinical trial (RCT) paradigm, reviewing specific challenges facing investigators conducting ethnically inclusive trials. We then highlight the promise of other methods of inquiry to expand the science on mental health treatment with ethnic minorities.     

累积生态风险与青少年网络成瘾:心理需要满足和积极结果预期的中介作用

青少年网络成瘾与个体所处的生态背景密切相关。目前已有不少研究探讨家庭、学校、同伴背景中单个或少数风险因素对青少年网络成瘾的影响,但少有研究关注多个背景中生态风险因素的累积对青少年网络成瘾的影响及其心理机制。本研究基于累积风险模型和动机心理学理论,考察累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾的影响及基本心理需要满足(个体在现实生活中需要被满足的情况)和积极结果预期(个体对网络使用诱因大小的判断)在其中的并行和/或链式中介作用。被试为5所中学的998名青少年。结构方程模型分析表明:(1)在控制了人口学变量后,累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾具有显著的正向预测作用(呈"负加速模式")。(2)累积生态风险通过显著降低基本心理需要满足(表现出"梯度效应"),进而促进青少年网络成瘾。(3)累积生态风险通过显著提升积极结果预期(呈"负加速模式"),进而促进青少年网络成瘾。(4)累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾的影响被基本心理需要满足和积极结果预期两条并行路径完全中介。上述结果表明,累积生态风险对青少年网络成瘾具有重要影响,且这种影响是通过需要和诱因两种动机力量一"推"一"拉"的合力来实现。     

What children do on the Internet: domains visited and their relationship to socio-demographic characteristics and academic performance.

HomeNetToo is a longitudinal field study designed to examine the antecedents and consequences of home Internet use in low-income families. Participants included 140 children, mostly 13-year-old African American (83%) boys (58%), living in single-parent households (75%) where the median annual income was $15,000 (USD). This report focuses on children's Internet activities, socio-demographic characteristics related to their Internet activities, and the relationship between academic performance and Internet activities. Overall, findings indicate that low-income children initially use the Internet primarily for entertainment. As home Internet use loses its novelty children become more focused in their Internet activities, reducing the number of websites they visit and visiting more websites targeted to their specific interests. Pornography websites are popular initially, especially among boys, but their popularity decreases dramatically after 3 months. Age, race, and sex have little influence on which websites are most popular. Academic performance predicts subsequent Internet activities, and Internet activities predict subsequent academic performance. Directions for future research to identify mechanisms that mediate the relationship between Internet activities and academic performance and implications for the digital divide are discussed.