Post by account_disabled on Mar 4, 2024 22:47:01 GMT -5
A study by the University of Surrey determined that people under years of age spend an average of six hours a day surfing the Internet, while those older spend hours. Researchers have also determined a new internet addiction spectrum that classifies users based on their online behavior.
Dr Brigitte Stangl, a researcher at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Manag Chinese Overseas Asia Number Data ement at the University of Surrey, explained that the main objective of the research is to clarify “the difference between using the internet in a problematic way and being addicted to it. “We found that the younger you are, the more likely you are to be addicted and this tendency decreases with age.”
Close-up of a teenager attentively looking at his smartphone
How to talk to your children about social media and mental health
Here's what science says about teens' relationships with smartphone screen time , and how to start the conversation with teens of any age.
Five types of internet users
Derived from the implementation of various tests and the observation of the behavior of participants, scientists from the universities of WU Vienna, Kyung Hee and Jyväskylä who collaborated in the analysis identified five groups of internet users classified according to their usage habits.
Occasional users : have an average age of years. They connect to the web to accomplish specific tasks and show no signs of addiction. They are the least interested in exploring new applications.
Initial users : Although they stay online longer than the previous group, they do not consider themselves addicts. Most of the time they spend on the Internet is spent planning future activities. The average age of the group is years.
Experiencers : Users in this segment appear anxious and uncomfortable when they cannot connect to the network. With ages ranging from to years on average, they are more willing to try new apps and technologies.
Addicts in denial : They show addictive behaviors and tend to neglect real-world responsibilities, but do not admit to feeling anxiety when they are not connected to the internet. They fully trust mobile technology.
Addicts : They admit their codependency on the Internet as well as the negative impacts that the condition has on their lives. They show great confidence in new applications, platforms and technologies. The time they spend browsing is significantly higher than the highest average.
The findings do not reveal any link between gender and online behavior. Higher rates of addiction were generally correlated with greater confidence in using mobile technology and particularly with a willingness to try new apps.
"Our study underscores the need for personalized interventions and support for people at various stages of internet addiction," Stangl said. The researchers hope that the results of their work will influence the design of digital services, platforms, applications and new technologies that address the needs and risks of the different types of users who coexist in the digital environment.
Dr Brigitte Stangl, a researcher at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Manag Chinese Overseas Asia Number Data ement at the University of Surrey, explained that the main objective of the research is to clarify “the difference between using the internet in a problematic way and being addicted to it. “We found that the younger you are, the more likely you are to be addicted and this tendency decreases with age.”
Close-up of a teenager attentively looking at his smartphone
How to talk to your children about social media and mental health
Here's what science says about teens' relationships with smartphone screen time , and how to start the conversation with teens of any age.
Five types of internet users
Derived from the implementation of various tests and the observation of the behavior of participants, scientists from the universities of WU Vienna, Kyung Hee and Jyväskylä who collaborated in the analysis identified five groups of internet users classified according to their usage habits.
Occasional users : have an average age of years. They connect to the web to accomplish specific tasks and show no signs of addiction. They are the least interested in exploring new applications.
Initial users : Although they stay online longer than the previous group, they do not consider themselves addicts. Most of the time they spend on the Internet is spent planning future activities. The average age of the group is years.
Experiencers : Users in this segment appear anxious and uncomfortable when they cannot connect to the network. With ages ranging from to years on average, they are more willing to try new apps and technologies.
Addicts in denial : They show addictive behaviors and tend to neglect real-world responsibilities, but do not admit to feeling anxiety when they are not connected to the internet. They fully trust mobile technology.
Addicts : They admit their codependency on the Internet as well as the negative impacts that the condition has on their lives. They show great confidence in new applications, platforms and technologies. The time they spend browsing is significantly higher than the highest average.
The findings do not reveal any link between gender and online behavior. Higher rates of addiction were generally correlated with greater confidence in using mobile technology and particularly with a willingness to try new apps.
"Our study underscores the need for personalized interventions and support for people at various stages of internet addiction," Stangl said. The researchers hope that the results of their work will influence the design of digital services, platforms, applications and new technologies that address the needs and risks of the different types of users who coexist in the digital environment.