“Internet Addiction” Christin Haynes

Internet Addiction  Extreme internet use could not be diagnosed as an “addiction” because according to the psychological definition of “addiction”, it is based on a chemical dependency.

Online Activities  There are many activities to do online.  Chatting  Surfing  Gaming

Chatting  Chatters are people who constantly use chat services to have conversations with others.

Surfing  Surfers are those people who use search engines and follow the links from page to page just for fun, and not for any practical purpose.

Gaming  Gamers are those who play video games online with people from around the world.

Stages of Addiction  John M. Grohol, Psy. D. believes the most major aspect of the internet seems to be the social aspect.  Following is his model of Pathological Internet Use.

Enchantment (Acclimation)  This involves fully immersing oneself in the new environment in order to become acclimated to the new surroundings.  Since this environment is so much larger than anything we’ve ever seen before, some people get “stuck” in this stage for a longer period of time than is typical for new technologies.

Disillusionment (Avoidance)  The next stage occurs when people start to become disillusioned with, or lose interest in, the internet.  This is followed by an avoidance of chatting and a decline in internet usage.

Balance (Normal)  This stage occurs when the level of online activity has reached a “normal” level.  The user is no longer immersing themselves in the new environment because they feel that they have become well-acquainted with it.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs  Self-actualization >  Learning >  Interpersonal Contact >  Basic Biological Needs >

Basic Biological Needs  This is on the bottom of the pyramid and includes: sex, food, water, shelter, physical safety, and warmth.  This means that even something as cold and technological as the internet can fulfill a basic biological need since many people use it for sexual purposes.

Interpersonal Contact  This is on the second level of the pyramid and includes: social recognition and a sense of belonging.  Many social needs can be fulfilled through the internet; people make close friends, and sometimes even fall in love online.

Learning  The third level of the pyramid includes accomplishment, learning, mastery of the environment, and the self-esteem that arises from one’s achievements.  We learn to do things online that we did not know we could do before; ways to chat, games to play, etc., and when we are successful we feel pleased with our accomplishment.  It’s a very addictive cycle that makes one want to learn and do more.

Self-Actualization  This is the highest level on the pyramid and is classified as the need for fulfilling interpersonal relationships, to express oneself, to satisfy one’s intellectual and artistic needs by successfully engaging the world around us.  The way this is done by expanding yourself into a one-of-a-kind human being and by becoming your “true” self.