Prevalence and psychosocial risk factors associated with internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of college students in Taiwan

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of Internet addiction in a nationally representative sample of college students and to identify any associated psychosocial risk factors. The present study was constructed using a cross-sectional design with 3,616 participants. Participants were surveyed during the middle of the spring and fall semesters and recruited from colleges around Taiwan using stratified and cluster random sampling methods. Associations between Internet addiction and psychosocial risk factors were examined using stepwise logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of Internet addiction was found to be 15.3 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 14.1 percent to 16.5 percent). More depressive symptoms, higher positive outcome expectancy of Internet use, higher Internet usage time, lower refusal self-efficacy of Internet use, higher impulsivity, lower satisfaction with academic performance, being male, and insecure attachment style were positively correlated with Internet addiction. The prevalence of Internet addiction among college students in Taiwan was high, and the variables mentioned were independently predictive in the logistic regression analysis. This study can be used as a reference for policy making regarding the design of Internet addiction prevention programs and can also aid in the development of strategies designed to help Internet-addicted college students.     

Is playing exergames really exercising? A meta-analysis of energy expenditure in active video games

This article reports a meta-analysis of energy expenditure (EE) of playing active video games (AVGs). In particular, heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2), and EE were assessed and three moderators for the effects of AVGs--types of AVG, player age, and player weight status--were analyzed. The results show that playing AVGs significantly increased HR, VO2, and EE from resting. The effect sizes of playing AVGs on HR, VO2, and EE were similar to traditional physical activities. AVG type and player age were significant moderators for the effects of AVGs. The finding suggests that AVGs are effective technologies that may facilitate light- to moderate-intensity physical activity promotion.     

Intention to continue using Facebook fan pages from the perspective of social capital theory

Social network sites enable users to express themselves, establish ties, and develop and maintain social relationships. Recently, many companies have begun using social media identity (e.g., Facebook fan pages) to enhance brand attractiveness, and social network sites have evolved into social utility networks, thereby creating a number of promising business opportunities. To this end, the operators of fan pages need to be aware of the factors motivating users to continue their patronization of such pages. This study set out to identify these motivating factors from the point of view of social capital. This study employed structural equation modeling to investigate a research model based on a survey of 327 fan pages users. This study discovered that ties related to social interaction (structural dimension), shared values (cognitive dimension), and trust (relational dimension) play important roles in users' continued intention to use Facebook fan pages. Finally, this study discusses the implications of these findings and offers directions for future research.     

Saving graces: Impact of partner support and maternal attachment on partner attachments in an individualistic and a collectivist context

The current study investigated the relationships between current attachment to mother and attachment to romantic partners, and the role of current partner support and culture as moderators of that relationship. University students who were currently in a romantic relationship were recruited from Hong Kong and USA, and completed measures on attachment styles and partner support. Results showed that maternal attachment anxiety was correlated with romantic attachment anxiety; maternal attachment avoidance was correlated with romantic attachment avoidance, but this linkage varied by level of current partner support. Romantic attachment avoidance was also associated with current partner support, but this linkage was stronger for HK Chinese than for Americans. These results are discussed in terms of how interpersonal and personality factors promoted by culture can affect the developmental course of romantic relationships.     

Ambiguity Advantage Revisited: Two Meanings are Better than One When Accessing Chinese Nouns

This paper revisits the effect of lexical ambiguity in word recognition, which has been controversial as previous research reported advantage, disadvantage, and null effects. We discuss factors that were not consistently treated in previous research (e.g., the level of lexical ambiguity investigated, parts of speech of the experimental stimuli, and the choice of non-words) and report on a lexical decision experiment with Chinese nouns in which ambiguous nouns with homonymic and/or metaphorical meanings were contrasted with unambiguous nouns. An ambiguity advantage effect was obtained—Chinese nouns with multiple meanings were recognized faster than those with only one meaning. The results suggested that both homonymic and metaphorical meanings are psychologically salient semantic levels actively represented in the mental lexicon. The results supported a probability-based model of random lexical access with multiple meanings represented by separate semantic nodes. We further discuss these results in terms of lexical semantic representation and how different experimental paradigms result in different ambiguity effects in lexical access.     

Treat and trick: A new way to increase false memory

This paper reports a new experimental manipulation that increased false memories 1 month after the manipulation. Mirroring the standard three‐stage misinformation paradigm (original event, misinformation, and test), subjects in the experimental group were first given a colour‐slide presentation of two stories (events), then given an accurate account (instead of misinformation) of the events in narrations, and finally tested for their memory of the original events. One month later, they underwent the standard misinformation paradigm with two new events. The comparison group was given the standard misinformation tasks at both time points. Results showed that the experimental group produced more false memories in the subsequent misinformation paradigm than did the comparison group. We focus on trust and credibility as possible mechanisms underlying this effect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国大陆、香港和美国大学生主观幸福感比较

采用量表法对中国大陆、香港和美国三个地区的大学生被试的主观幸福感(SWB)进行了比较。差异检验表明,在总体SWB水平上,三个地区没有表现出显著差异,但在生活满意感、积极情感和消极情感维度上差异都显著。分层回归的结果发现,经济状况、社会关系和外在价值变量对三个地区大学生的生活满意感和积极情感都作出了增值贡献;外在准则变量对三个地区的消极情感作出了增值贡献。     

意识和无意识权衡现象的四个特征

本实验以探讨意识和无意识之间的复杂关系为目的 ,采用 5 (年龄 :老年、中年、大学生、初三和高小 )× 2 (贡献来源 :意识和无意识 )的两因素混合设计 ,通过加工分离程序 (PDP)的包含和排除测验 ,计算意识和无意识的贡献大小。结果表明在对具体图片的记忆中 ,1)意识和无意识贡献出现了发展上的分离 ;2 )老年组的无意识贡献高于意识贡献 ,但未达到显著水平 ,其余四个组别则表现出意识贡献水平极其显著地高于无意识贡献水平。在此基础上 ,本研究对意识和无意识的权衡现象的四个特征 (相互独立、相互作用、互为主次、互相依存 )分别进行了阐述     

Impact of telepresence levels on internet advertising effects.

This study examined the dimensions of interactivity and vividness to propose three telepresence levels: content presence, social presence, and personal presence. Then, an experiment investigated the impact of different telepresence levels on Internet advertising. The effects of interactions between vividness of visual imagery (VVI) and product types in relation to telepresence levels and advertising effects were also analyzed. The study employed a factorial design: 4 (levels of telepresence) x 2 (product types) x 2 (VVI). Levels of telepresence and product types were both manipulated between subjects. VVI was measured within subjects. Experimental findings showed that high levels of telepresence of an Internet advertisement increased subject recall and recognition. The low VVI respondent group would have greater recognition than traditional advertisements when respondents were exposed above the level 2 (social presence) advertisement and the effect of recognition increased from level 1 (content presence) to level 3 (personal presence). Recognition increased from level 1 (content presence) to level 2 (social presence) for both search and experience product groups; however, only recognition of the experience product group increased in level 3 (personal presence).