What is Internet Addiction? How long have you been sitting there in front of your screen? Are you spending more and more time clicking and typing, typing and clicking? Is there nothing else you rather do? It is not surprising that many people find it hard to believe that using a computer can be a problem for them. It helps you be productive, it is entertaining, it is interesting; but addictive?.
Using the Internet is like other potentially compulsive activities, such as shopping, exercise, eating, etc. Most people who become involved in these behaviors derive pleasure from them, and can engage in the activity without much trouble. There is a small percent, however, for whom the behavior take over their life, instead of being an enjoyable deterrent.
Methodology.
Dr. Kimberly Brown of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has attempted to reveal concrete evidence supporting the Internet Addiction claim in her study. The study investigated the possible existence of Internet Addiction and the problems caused by potential over-use.
Dr. Young solicited volunteers by way of newspaper ads, flyers and support groups via the Internet. Of the potential 605 participants (an extremely small percent of actual internet users, considering 10,000 new users daily), she chose 496 valid responses. Participants who answered yes to five or more questions ask on the exploratory survey were classified as Dependants (Internet addicts, for the sake of this study), which totaled 396 and 100 non-dependants.
The demographics breakdown of the Dependants and Non-Dependants are as follows: "Dependants include 157 males - mean age 29 and 239 females- mean age 43. The educational mean was 15.5 years. Vocational background varied, blue-collar, white collar, high-tech white collar and none (students, retired, homemakers and disabled). The Non-Dependants included 64 males and 36 females. Mean ages were 25 for males, and 28 for females.
