I decided to explore "Second Life:" an online, synchronous, 3-D virtual world where members can create avatars of any size, shape or form they want and interact with others. Since my experience with online gaming is limited to never, the virtual space was very new to me and I had trouble at first getting started.
I entered a location created by a resident of the game where many people were basking in the sun and holding conversations with one another. I noticed immediately how uncomfortable I was with the way my avatar looked. I had started off with a generic character offered to new members and knew that I wanted someone who looked more like me. Since I had no idea what I was doing, I asked for help in the public chat space. Immediately "Glenda Noel" came to my rescue. She explained to me how to modify my appearance and gave me encouraging words after I had explained that I was new to the game. After learning how to do all these functions, I proceeded to modify my avatar to my liking.
Right after I learned how to change my appearance I became obsessed with my looks because I wanted my avatar to resemble me. I soon realized how fascinated I was with the fact that I could modify my looks with a few clicks and continuously changed things. This alone wasted 30 minutes of my time and I realized how easily this online game could become a time sink when I haven't even started to interact with others in the room yet! (Besides Glenda of course).
After being somewhat satisfied with the way I looked, I proceeded to talk with others in the room. I had no problem talking with people, but nobody seemed to really respond. Then one member commented, "XES, you have big hair. It's hot." Other male members in the room proceeded to comment on my looks and I began chatting with them. I felt perfectly comfortable chatting with people but I realized that these types of games weren't really for me. After about an hour of chatting, a member asked me how Second Life was treating me and I told him "First Life is better. I'm heading out. Bye!"
There were two things I noticed immediately about the game. First was how willing members were to help noobs like myself get started in the game. This type of online support is mentioned by Wallace who states that people are always willing to help out other new members to an online gaming world, especially if they are a girl. This held true in my case, even when the space was not your typical MUD/MOO such as WOW and Everquest where members are participating in duels.
The second thing I noticed was how easily this game can cause problematic internet use. Members seem very absorbed into the game and from their appearances, seemed to have a lot of experience in the room. When I signed onto the game at 11:30 p.m. on a Friday night, statistics showed that a little over 80,000 members were signed on at this very moment and about 1.5 million members have been on within the past 60 days. These figures surprised me, along with the familiarity many of the members seemed to have with each other. This indicated to me that they had established relationships for quite some time now and were frequent users of the space. The aspects of the game, such as anonymity and accessibility could easily lure members in. Along with the fact that many members could feel the need to maintain their social presence or could be much more comfortable online than off socializing with others due to the removal of gating features, furthering the possibilities of PIU.
Finally, I felt that the appearance of my avatar, to some extent, did have an affect on how I interacted with others in the game. Yee and Bailenson hypothesized that people with more attractive avatars would be more intimate with others around them and present higher self disclosure than those who find themselves less attractive, this is known as the Proteus Effect. I realized early on that I would not communicate with others until I was fully satisfied with my appearance and after modifying myself I began interacting with others in the game. I found this tendency to "walk up" to people that I was talking to in the game and got as close as possible. I did not share much personal information, however, and did not see a huge deviation from my usual personality on the space. Thus, once I was comfortable with the way I looked, I behaved like my normal self again.
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Assignment #9
John, an old roommate of mine, is a 53 year old who has been unemployed for the last three years. John’s inability to secure a job has little to do with his effort to find another job or with his lack of technical qualifications and experience, but is a direct result of inability to interact on the phone and in person at interviews in a socially favorable way. John realizes this, but finds hard to improve his social skills.
John is divorced and lonely. In the short time that I lived with him, it became very clear to me that John spent far too much time at his computer trying to develop friendships. One of John’s hobbies is photography. In hopes of creating other job opportunities for himself, he created a website where he could post his work and advertise his skill. Judging from the amount of time that John spends working on his website and trying to network as a photographer, he has become obsessed with the talent industry.
John’s excessive Internet use can be explained by McKenna’s relationship facilitation factors. Because John lacks the social skills necessary to build strong FtF relationships and find a job, he spends his time surfing the web trying to build promote his photography career. The removal of gating features, allows John the opportunity to overcome his social insecurities and develop relationships through website and in various talent networks that theoretically help him find work as a photographer. His online interaction also affords him the opportunity to connect with similar others and provides him with interactional control so that he can make a good impression. However, these self-presentational tactics fail John once he is hired for a project. The consistent poor quality of FtF interaction mean that John is rarely called back for repeat work meaning that even as a photographer, John is unable to make a living, yet each time John returns to his computer and his website to try again. This vicious cycle has been defined by Caplan in her idetification of Problematic Internet Use (PIU). She explains that “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving Internet use…result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.” PIU is characterized by excessive internet use that leads to degradation of one’s livelihood.
John’s impulse, after failing to obtain consistent reliable work, is to return to the computer where he devotes his cognitive resources to finding more job opportunities rather than developing stronger social skills. As a result, he suffers severe professional and social consequences. Caplan argues that psychosocial disorders perpetuate these negative effects. John’s loneliness and lack of social aptitude are the underlying psychological issues that have created his unfortunate circumstances. Until John is ready to address his problems in a more constructive way, it seems that he has little hope of maintaining a healthy and sustainable livelihood.
John is divorced and lonely. In the short time that I lived with him, it became very clear to me that John spent far too much time at his computer trying to develop friendships. One of John’s hobbies is photography. In hopes of creating other job opportunities for himself, he created a website where he could post his work and advertise his skill. Judging from the amount of time that John spends working on his website and trying to network as a photographer, he has become obsessed with the talent industry.
John’s excessive Internet use can be explained by McKenna’s relationship facilitation factors. Because John lacks the social skills necessary to build strong FtF relationships and find a job, he spends his time surfing the web trying to build promote his photography career. The removal of gating features, allows John the opportunity to overcome his social insecurities and develop relationships through website and in various talent networks that theoretically help him find work as a photographer. His online interaction also affords him the opportunity to connect with similar others and provides him with interactional control so that he can make a good impression. However, these self-presentational tactics fail John once he is hired for a project. The consistent poor quality of FtF interaction mean that John is rarely called back for repeat work meaning that even as a photographer, John is unable to make a living, yet each time John returns to his computer and his website to try again. This vicious cycle has been defined by Caplan in her idetification of Problematic Internet Use (PIU). She explains that “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving Internet use…result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.” PIU is characterized by excessive internet use that leads to degradation of one’s livelihood.
John’s impulse, after failing to obtain consistent reliable work, is to return to the computer where he devotes his cognitive resources to finding more job opportunities rather than developing stronger social skills. As a result, he suffers severe professional and social consequences. Caplan argues that psychosocial disorders perpetuate these negative effects. John’s loneliness and lack of social aptitude are the underlying psychological issues that have created his unfortunate circumstances. Until John is ready to address his problems in a more constructive way, it seems that he has little hope of maintaining a healthy and sustainable livelihood.
Assignment9 Emails
I choose to analyze the most common online activity: emails. The total time spend on checking emails may not turn out to be shocking, as not everybody spend more than 10hs a day sitting in front of the computer screen as I do, but most of my friends admit that the first thing they will do when they get to a computer with internet access is checking their emails.
Problematic Internet Use (PIU) occurs when people spend way too much time online. It includes excessive and compulsive Internet usage, which may affects people’s “real life” offline. Excessive Internet usage is when people spend more time online than they planned, and compulsive use is when people lose control in their online activity along with guilt about lack of control.
Emails can easily lead to PIU Before the widely use of software as email-reminder, which will remind you of new emails by a little pop-up window at the corner of your computer screen, emails are pretty unpredictable. People are likely to check their emails often to make sure there’s no new unread information they miss. People who were waiting for replies or information from emails are likely to check their mailboxes every 5 minutes since they don’t know when it will come. This lack of reward predictability makes people continually return for more. In typical cases, email users tend to behave compulsive use rather than excessive use. People won’t be able to control their urge to check email, but they generally won’t spend a longer amount of time than planned checking email. If emails are frequently checked, the time spend on checking unread emails wont be long. But as people have to frequently stop what they are doing and go open the browser, it will reduce efficiency in work and study. The more dangerous factor about checking emails is that you have to open a browser to do so. And when the mailbox is free offered such as Gmail, checking email means opening a window for online advertisements. You may find it easy to be distracted by an ad about discount for shoes or filling out some online research for free samples. Then your online activities are not just emails anymore.
Caplan’s model suggested that individuals with psychosocial problems hold negative perceptions about their social competence, and these individuals prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious. The preference for online interaction will then lead to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which then worsens their problems (at school, home, work). Not like instant messengers, emails are usually used for people with weak ties or conveying information at work. People use them because then receive them. People who check emails constantly are tend to be more social because they want to response to others as soon as possible, rather than being lonely and depressed. Wallace argues Internet properties are important. In this case, the affordance of internet may be more applicable in this case. Emails enable greater control of self-presentation, more intense and intimate self-disclosure, and less perceived social risk and responsibility.
Problematic Internet Use (PIU) occurs when people spend way too much time online. It includes excessive and compulsive Internet usage, which may affects people’s “real life” offline. Excessive Internet usage is when people spend more time online than they planned, and compulsive use is when people lose control in their online activity along with guilt about lack of control.
Emails can easily lead to PIU Before the widely use of software as email-reminder, which will remind you of new emails by a little pop-up window at the corner of your computer screen, emails are pretty unpredictable. People are likely to check their emails often to make sure there’s no new unread information they miss. People who were waiting for replies or information from emails are likely to check their mailboxes every 5 minutes since they don’t know when it will come. This lack of reward predictability makes people continually return for more. In typical cases, email users tend to behave compulsive use rather than excessive use. People won’t be able to control their urge to check email, but they generally won’t spend a longer amount of time than planned checking email. If emails are frequently checked, the time spend on checking unread emails wont be long. But as people have to frequently stop what they are doing and go open the browser, it will reduce efficiency in work and study. The more dangerous factor about checking emails is that you have to open a browser to do so. And when the mailbox is free offered such as Gmail, checking email means opening a window for online advertisements. You may find it easy to be distracted by an ad about discount for shoes or filling out some online research for free samples. Then your online activities are not just emails anymore.
Caplan’s model suggested that individuals with psychosocial problems hold negative perceptions about their social competence, and these individuals prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious. The preference for online interaction will then lead to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which then worsens their problems (at school, home, work). Not like instant messengers, emails are usually used for people with weak ties or conveying information at work. People use them because then receive them. People who check emails constantly are tend to be more social because they want to response to others as soon as possible, rather than being lonely and depressed. Wallace argues Internet properties are important. In this case, the affordance of internet may be more applicable in this case. Emails enable greater control of self-presentation, more intense and intimate self-disclosure, and less perceived social risk and responsibility.
Assignment #9
Instant messaging such as AIM, Yahoo, or Google Talk have become immensely popular forms of CMC today. The majority of my friends since high school can be found on my AIM Buddy List and are online when at their computers. I, generally, think this is a good thing because it affords another means of communicating with someone via a medium that is semi-synchronous. While most people use instant messaging to casually talk to a friend without having to make a phone call, others become unheathily involved leading to Problematic Internet Use (PIU). According to Caplan’s defines PIU as “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.”
Instant messaging, whether to a close friend or anonymous in a chat room, lends itself well to the development of PIU. Instant messaging, by its nature, allows the user to be anonymous leading to an increased propensity for self-disclosure, relating to McKenna’s Relationship Facilitation Factors. Since AIM is a lean media, people are more comfortable sharing intimate details. Agreeing with Social Distance Theory, which says communication that is uncomfortable in FTF, such as lying, is more likely in to occur in leaner media.
Instant messaging is semi-synchronous because if 2 users are sitting at their computers giving full attention to the chat and replying quickly, this can be approximated as real-time conversation. However, users can also multitask while instant messaging leading to more time between exchanging messages. This reminds me of my roommate and how it can lead to PIU. He typically has 10-20 AIM windows of people he chats with from friends back home to lab partners to his girlfriend. He spends countless hours procrastinating online to the point where it hurts his academics. The semi-synchronous nature of AIM allows the user time to focus on choosing exactly what to say and the vocabulary to use. The greater degree of control leads to selective self-presentation and re-allocation of cognitive resources, part of the Hyperpersonal Model. Social problems or awkwardness that may be present in FTF are removed through AIM use leading people to prefer instant messaging over FTF instead of trying to solve those problems.
Ultimately, Caplan says that PIU is characterized by excessive and compulsive use. The fact that a good percentage of my friends can be found online and in one case, consistently having 10 active chat windows shows how instant messaging can lead to PIU.
#9: "I have HUNDREDS of friends... but I've never met any."
For those of you not familiar with MySpace, think of facebook… just on an even more broad, international, and outrageous level. It may sound a bit over the top, but in reality MySpace is just as amusing and entertaining as Facebook. On MySpace you have a profile, the opportunity to add/remove as many friends as you wish, leave “profile comments,” message others, and even post updates or funny updates called “bulletins” that will be visible to every user on your friend list. Sounds like a great site that allows you to have some fun and interact with others, right? There’s no doubt that sites like MySpace and provide some amount of entertainment (just look at how many users there are on the site!). However, is possible for this source of fun to be considered “unhealthy” and even detrimental to our lives?! Can MySpace lead to Problematic Internet Use?!
First of, many people may not be familiar to the expression “Problematic Internet Use” (PIU). An individual most likely is more familiar with the term “Internet Addiction;” however, one must get away from this extremely negative notion of “addiction”! Instead, Caplan suggests a less-harmful expression Problematic Internet Use, which is the excess use (too much time spent) or impulse use (uncontrolled, with an accompaniment of guilt) of the internet to the point where it may result in problematic and maladaptive social, academic and professional behavior in the individual. Because MySpace is so rich in the multitude of features ultimately enabling you to have virtual friendships with people you possibly have never met or have no intention of meeting, it is somewhat easy to see how a person may impulsively and/or uncontrollably spend there time on the internet.
Caplan’s model suggests that those with psychosocial problems (such as loneliness and/or depression) are more susceptible to internet use because they find it less threatening and more reliable in providing an intended result. An individual who spends too much time on MySpace may be shy and less confident when forced to interact with others in face-to-face situations. These people may prefer to socialize in on virtual community such as MySpace because they are more anonymous, allowing them to be at ease, reduce anxiety, and create higher levels of comfort. By utilizing the functions of MySpace (such as bulletin postings and profile comments), those with psychosocial problems are able to maintain friendships and even keep on top of their friends’ updates and happenings.
Though this might initially be viewed as a positive substitute for face-to-face interaction, this use of the internet can lead to greater conflicts. Those with loneliness/depression may be constantly turning to MySpace at all times of the day to reach out to others. However, as figured, not everyone is online at all hours. Problematic Internet Use can be caused because people are spending too much of their time waiting for interactions on MySpace to occur; they may be afraid that if they log-off, they’ll miss out on interacting with a friend. When others are not online to reciprocate social interaction, individuals may become even lonelier. Lives can also be affected because their Problematic Internet Use can lead problems at work, home, or even school. Attitudes and social competence can be affected because of excessive time spent on MySpace.
Socializing on social network sites, such as MySpace, definitely provides individuals with opportunities to socialize with others in various parts of the globe. One can simply enjoy the comforts and privacy of their own room while avoiding the pressures and anxiety of being face-to-face. However, as suggested by Caplan, when one spends too much time on such a site, it can negatively impact one’s life.
Sure, interacting on social networking websites can be fun and seem completely harmless. However, the next time it’s 3am and you’re logged on to MySpace (or any other social networking site) when you should be working on that paper (or blog post!) due the next day, it might be in your best interest for you to logout, step away from the computer, and then ask yourself: “Do I suffer from Problematic Internet Use?!?”*
*If you have any questions regarding diagnosing PIU, don’t see a doctor… simply contact Professor Hancock!
-Joshua Navarro
My Comments:
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/9-i-swear-this-is-last-video-i-click-on.html
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/9-online-shopping.html
First of, many people may not be familiar to the expression “Problematic Internet Use” (PIU). An individual most likely is more familiar with the term “Internet Addiction;” however, one must get away from this extremely negative notion of “addiction”! Instead, Caplan suggests a less-harmful expression Problematic Internet Use, which is the excess use (too much time spent) or impulse use (uncontrolled, with an accompaniment of guilt) of the internet to the point where it may result in problematic and maladaptive social, academic and professional behavior in the individual. Because MySpace is so rich in the multitude of features ultimately enabling you to have virtual friendships with people you possibly have never met or have no intention of meeting, it is somewhat easy to see how a person may impulsively and/or uncontrollably spend there time on the internet.
Caplan’s model suggests that those with psychosocial problems (such as loneliness and/or depression) are more susceptible to internet use because they find it less threatening and more reliable in providing an intended result. An individual who spends too much time on MySpace may be shy and less confident when forced to interact with others in face-to-face situations. These people may prefer to socialize in on virtual community such as MySpace because they are more anonymous, allowing them to be at ease, reduce anxiety, and create higher levels of comfort. By utilizing the functions of MySpace (such as bulletin postings and profile comments), those with psychosocial problems are able to maintain friendships and even keep on top of their friends’ updates and happenings.
Though this might initially be viewed as a positive substitute for face-to-face interaction, this use of the internet can lead to greater conflicts. Those with loneliness/depression may be constantly turning to MySpace at all times of the day to reach out to others. However, as figured, not everyone is online at all hours. Problematic Internet Use can be caused because people are spending too much of their time waiting for interactions on MySpace to occur; they may be afraid that if they log-off, they’ll miss out on interacting with a friend. When others are not online to reciprocate social interaction, individuals may become even lonelier. Lives can also be affected because their Problematic Internet Use can lead problems at work, home, or even school. Attitudes and social competence can be affected because of excessive time spent on MySpace.
Socializing on social network sites, such as MySpace, definitely provides individuals with opportunities to socialize with others in various parts of the globe. One can simply enjoy the comforts and privacy of their own room while avoiding the pressures and anxiety of being face-to-face. However, as suggested by Caplan, when one spends too much time on such a site, it can negatively impact one’s life.
Sure, interacting on social networking websites can be fun and seem completely harmless. However, the next time it’s 3am and you’re logged on to MySpace (or any other social networking site) when you should be working on that paper (or blog post!) due the next day, it might be in your best interest for you to logout, step away from the computer, and then ask yourself: “Do I suffer from Problematic Internet Use?!?”*
*If you have any questions regarding diagnosing PIU, don’t see a doctor… simply contact Professor Hancock!
-Joshua Navarro
My Comments:
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/9-i-swear-this-is-last-video-i-click-on.html
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/9-online-shopping.html
9. Online gambling
In my opinion, online gambling is a disease spreading through the Cornell campus at an alarming rate. Fraternity houses, such as my own, are hotbeds for this affliction. Many of my good friends have lost significant amounts of money this semester on online poker, as well as football bets. This certainly constitutes problematic internet usage.
Caplan discusses PIU as including "maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving Internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.” Online gambling results in all three. Users spend there time procrastinating on online poker sites, or watching sports games on which they have bet, rather then complete their assignments. The addicting properties of the sites coerce the users to continue in the face of repetitive loss by reinforcing the gambling behavior with the occasional reward on a variable ratio schedule. This operant conditioning leads to the development of a response that is very difficult to extinguish.
The sites are intelligent in their design, which requires users to pay a certain amount up front in exchange for E-currency being credited to their account on the site. This means that the user will not actually gain money from a win until he cashes out, and will not feel the affects of a loss until all the money in the account is gone. This usually leads to any winnings being immediately lost as they are pumped back into the gambling system before being realized. It also leads users not to associate any feeling of loss with the online gambling experience, as they do not ever have to “pay up” after a loss, they simply lose the funds previously invested into their account.
The availability of online gambling also leads to its addictive nature. The ability to gamble on your own, at any time whatsoever, allows individuals who would have had a problem with gambling in face to face environments to reach far more disastrous levels of addiction. When a game of poker can be joined at
I do not feel that Caplan’s model accurately describes the reasons for PIU in online gamblers, however. These individuals are not seeking a replacement for social interaction, and do not feel less socially competent. They simply become conditioned to continue executing a learned behavior whenever they have time in front of their computer. Betting on sports often involves spending time with friends in face to face environments, but is made easier and more removed through CMC gambling sights.
This dangerous online addiction seems to be growing more and more popular day. For years, gambling has been recognized as a dangerous addiction, and treatment and support groups have been available for those suffering from it. The effects of the internet on the potential damage caused by this addiction are enormous, as it is now available to users who are alone and do not feel as if they are spending real money.
Assgnmt 9: I bid 22 bucks for the latest edition of my addiction...
The problem of Internet addiction has become prevalent in today's generation of computer uses (mainly because we are the first generation of computer users...). This issue has led to the official title of Problematic Internet Use (PIU), which describes problematic behavior related to too much time online (usually considered an addiction). While a person's individual differences may define and play a part in their PIU, practically people today who use computers regularly have some problematic behaviors. Of course there is a wide range, from those who lose all aspects of their social life because they can't get away from online gaming sites or pornography sites, to those who feel the constant need to check facebook every time they are near a computer (which I think defines most college students..). However, it is not really a problem until these maladaptive behaviors result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences. Often times its due to excessive use of some component of the Internet. For the purposes of this blog I will focus on eBay and how it results in PIU among many online buyers.
The online activity of going to eBay and bidding/buying goods from other uses has led to many problems among buyers. I have heard many personal stories of people who once they start using the website begin to use it excessively and compulsively. In high school I babysat for a woman who certainly seemed to have PIU associated with eBay. Every time I went over she had lots of new clothes for her four year old daughter, and her living room was covered in piles of clothes she had bought or was ready to take pictures of and try sell on eBay. She explained her compulsive use of it, which showed me her apparent inability to control her online activity, which she did seem to feel guilty about because of her lack of control. She even said she was trying to hide some of it from her husband. I understand why it can become addictive; everyone likes to buy products for as cheap as they can. This website affords a great opportunity to find anything and everything that you want, and if you're lucky you can get it at an amazing price! It is also a great way to get paid for selling any old junk you may have lying around your house. While I have never experienced this first hand, I can understand why people may become addicted to find the best bargains, saving the most money possible and "winning" a product by having the best bid (it seems to have many similarities to gambling, to an extent).
While Caplan's PIU and psychosocial model does not exactly apply to this case, it can be modified to explain this addictive eBay behavior. Caplan described how individuals with psychosocial problems (loneliness and depression) often hold negative perceptions about their social competence (they have negative perceptions and do not want to go out and have real social interaction), which results in the preference for online interaction because it is less threatening. I do not think eBay can be described in this same way. Sure it may be true that people do not like going out in public to shop and feel uncomfortable socially interacting with sales people, but I think people enjoy eBay more for the "winning" aspect more so than the lack of social interaction. If someone has a psychosocial problem where they compulsively always have to be the best and out-do everyone else, in essence "be the winner" at all costs, they may feel socially incompetent to do this in a social way (such as making lots of friends or getting onto sports teams).. Or they may feel that they do not have the ability to shop in person and find the best deals available. Therefore, eBay would fill this immediate satisfaction. If someone wins a bid war over someone else, it may make them feel like they are a better strategist, or that they have more strength to "hold out" through the bid war to get the item that they really want. This leads into the next part of Caplans model, which explains peoples preference for Internet interaction. People may prefer eBay because they can then find any product they want and get it at a bargain, something they wouldn't be able to do in person. It is less threatening or less stressful because they do not need to worry about finding a product (for example, wondering if a movie store may have a certain movie) because there is a very likely chance that it will be on eBay. As individuals buy more and more products because they can find anything they want at such low costs, this will lead to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which enhances the problem. As a result, there will be a cyclic outcome, where psychosocial behaviors of not wanting to go out to shop and deal with searching for items becomes more of a problem.
Problematic Internet Use can happen to any individual. While 'online shopping' in general can be seen as a problem, eBay stands out among other shopping opportunities. It has the unique property that almost ANYTHING someone wants to find will be available (whereas when one looks at other websites to shop it's usually particularly for music, clothes, food, etc). Not only that, but someone can choose how much the product is worth to them, thus they can get something they've always wanted for a lot cheaper than if they went out to a store. It is no wonder that people are logged into their computers for hours at a time, arguing with someone in Iowa over how they will pay an extra three dollars for that special antique vase.
Comments:
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/assignment-9_8638.html
http://comm245purple.blogspot.com/2007/11/9-i-swear-this-is-last-video-i-click-on.html
The online activity of going to eBay and bidding/buying goods from other uses has led to many problems among buyers. I have heard many personal stories of people who once they start using the website begin to use it excessively and compulsively. In high school I babysat for a woman who certainly seemed to have PIU associated with eBay. Every time I went over she had lots of new clothes for her four year old daughter, and her living room was covered in piles of clothes she had bought or was ready to take pictures of and try sell on eBay. She explained her compulsive use of it, which showed me her apparent inability to control her online activity, which she did seem to feel guilty about because of her lack of control. She even said she was trying to hide some of it from her husband. I understand why it can become addictive; everyone likes to buy products for as cheap as they can. This website affords a great opportunity to find anything and everything that you want, and if you're lucky you can get it at an amazing price! It is also a great way to get paid for selling any old junk you may have lying around your house. While I have never experienced this first hand, I can understand why people may become addicted to find the best bargains, saving the most money possible and "winning" a product by having the best bid (it seems to have many similarities to gambling, to an extent).
While Caplan's PIU and psychosocial model does not exactly apply to this case, it can be modified to explain this addictive eBay behavior. Caplan described how individuals with psychosocial problems (loneliness and depression) often hold negative perceptions about their social competence (they have negative perceptions and do not want to go out and have real social interaction), which results in the preference for online interaction because it is less threatening. I do not think eBay can be described in this same way. Sure it may be true that people do not like going out in public to shop and feel uncomfortable socially interacting with sales people, but I think people enjoy eBay more for the "winning" aspect more so than the lack of social interaction. If someone has a psychosocial problem where they compulsively always have to be the best and out-do everyone else, in essence "be the winner" at all costs, they may feel socially incompetent to do this in a social way (such as making lots of friends or getting onto sports teams).. Or they may feel that they do not have the ability to shop in person and find the best deals available. Therefore, eBay would fill this immediate satisfaction. If someone wins a bid war over someone else, it may make them feel like they are a better strategist, or that they have more strength to "hold out" through the bid war to get the item that they really want. This leads into the next part of Caplans model, which explains peoples preference for Internet interaction. People may prefer eBay because they can then find any product they want and get it at a bargain, something they wouldn't be able to do in person. It is less threatening or less stressful because they do not need to worry about finding a product (for example, wondering if a movie store may have a certain movie) because there is a very likely chance that it will be on eBay. As individuals buy more and more products because they can find anything they want at such low costs, this will lead to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which enhances the problem. As a result, there will be a cyclic outcome, where psychosocial behaviors of not wanting to go out to shop and deal with searching for items becomes more of a problem.
Problematic Internet Use can happen to any individual. While 'online shopping' in general can be seen as a problem, eBay stands out among other shopping opportunities. It has the unique property that almost ANYTHING someone wants to find will be available (whereas when one looks at other websites to shop it's usually particularly for music, clothes, food, etc). Not only that, but someone can choose how much the product is worth to them, thus they can get something they've always wanted for a lot cheaper than if they went out to a store. It is no wonder that people are logged into their computers for hours at a time, arguing with someone in Iowa over how they will pay an extra three dollars for that special antique vase.
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Monday, November 5, 2007
#9: I swear this is the last video I click on...
We all do this at some point or another while on YouTube. After you finish one video, other videos that may be of interest to you show up and one of them just happens to catch your eyes. You try, but you can't pull away. The cursor moves on its own, and clicks, and that means you'll be on YouTube for another eternity...
Don't feel bad, we all do it (in fact, I suspect Professor Hancock does something similar. It's not all your fault: YouTube has many features designed to hook you in. It has many convenient affordances such as it's free, accessible at any time, and relatively anonymous (if you don't upload a video of yourself). These are especially targeted to 2 dimensions predicted by Davis, Flett and Besser: diminished impulse control and distraction/procrastination. Seeing that interesting video there, you just can't resist the urge to click on it. And the convenience of the linked videos makes it a lot easier to procrastinate. After one video is over, all you have to do is move your cursor over the next one and click. YouTube has other almost irresistible features such as the easy search for videos, video categorizations (for easy browsing), what others are watching right now, featured videos, etc. Before you know it, you've gone over the time you've budgeted for the Internet (a sign of Problematic Internet Use).
The Caplan model doesn't exactly apply because most YouTube watchers are not necessarily suffering psychosocial problems. They are not necessarily lonely or depressed. And YouTube is not as interactive as other online spaces such as a chatroom or a game, so there is less chance for strong selective self-presentation management. Because you are not interacting with other people very much on YouTube, there is not much perceived social benefit or control associated. People don't go on YouTube to socialize. In the one-way flow of information, YouTube is rather like TV (and indeed that's what many people use YouTube for).
There is an interesting twist to the story. YouTube, like TV, can help alter your mood (one of Caplan's factors). If you are having a bad day, watching others in videos may help assuage your annoyance at your current situation. It basically takes your mind off your life for a second (again, the distraction dimension from Davis et al.). It's not strictly following Caplan's model, but it is an important factor of the reason we may experience PIU due to YouTube.
Don't feel bad, we all do it (in fact, I suspect Professor Hancock does something similar. It's not all your fault: YouTube has many features designed to hook you in. It has many convenient affordances such as it's free, accessible at any time, and relatively anonymous (if you don't upload a video of yourself). These are especially targeted to 2 dimensions predicted by Davis, Flett and Besser: diminished impulse control and distraction/procrastination. Seeing that interesting video there, you just can't resist the urge to click on it. And the convenience of the linked videos makes it a lot easier to procrastinate. After one video is over, all you have to do is move your cursor over the next one and click. YouTube has other almost irresistible features such as the easy search for videos, video categorizations (for easy browsing), what others are watching right now, featured videos, etc. Before you know it, you've gone over the time you've budgeted for the Internet (a sign of Problematic Internet Use).
The Caplan model doesn't exactly apply because most YouTube watchers are not necessarily suffering psychosocial problems. They are not necessarily lonely or depressed. And YouTube is not as interactive as other online spaces such as a chatroom or a game, so there is less chance for strong selective self-presentation management. Because you are not interacting with other people very much on YouTube, there is not much perceived social benefit or control associated. People don't go on YouTube to socialize. In the one-way flow of information, YouTube is rather like TV (and indeed that's what many people use YouTube for).
There is an interesting twist to the story. YouTube, like TV, can help alter your mood (one of Caplan's factors). If you are having a bad day, watching others in videos may help assuage your annoyance at your current situation. It basically takes your mind off your life for a second (again, the distraction dimension from Davis et al.). It's not strictly following Caplan's model, but it is an important factor of the reason we may experience PIU due to YouTube.
Jadd... is posting his blog number 9 (Facebook)
News Feed:
Spending too much time online can be considered a Problematic Internet Use or PIU. An issue that many students now have at universities and even high schools is “Facebook Stalking.” Facebook.com has become a site where you always want to go on it to check to see if anything new has been added to the news feed or to your own section. This is the perfect site to start your Problematic Internet Use problem.
Facebook may lead to PIU because of the applications connected to the site. On a members page you can view photos, videos, rescent interactions on facebook, see what music you have, sports teams interest, and etc. There are endless supplies of things to look at on facebook, which help you become a stalker. You don’t recognize how much time you use because it all seems like such little things but they all add up at the end. Its accessibility is very fast and convenient which encourages the addiction to come into play. The biggest factor would have to be the news feed since it updates you to every one of your friends on everything they are doing. When a status changes you are the first to know, when a relationship is done you are the first to know, its like having a 24/7 gossip blog on your favorite site.
Caplan’s model applies to facebook just as much as PIU. Some people find it easier to communicate online through wall post than talking in person to someone. Facebook allows the shy talker (FTF) to open up on Facebook (CMC) and become more comfortable with himself. Interactions now become easier because you already know something about the person you are interacting with and have more confidence. These types of feelings lead to go on facebook more then normal and become more outgoing through CMC communication.
Spending too much time online can be considered a Problematic Internet Use or PIU. An issue that many students now have at universities and even high schools is “Facebook Stalking.” Facebook.com has become a site where you always want to go on it to check to see if anything new has been added to the news feed or to your own section. This is the perfect site to start your Problematic Internet Use problem.
Facebook may lead to PIU because of the applications connected to the site. On a members page you can view photos, videos, rescent interactions on facebook, see what music you have, sports teams interest, and etc. There are endless supplies of things to look at on facebook, which help you become a stalker. You don’t recognize how much time you use because it all seems like such little things but they all add up at the end. Its accessibility is very fast and convenient which encourages the addiction to come into play. The biggest factor would have to be the news feed since it updates you to every one of your friends on everything they are doing. When a status changes you are the first to know, when a relationship is done you are the first to know, its like having a 24/7 gossip blog on your favorite site.
Caplan’s model applies to facebook just as much as PIU. Some people find it easier to communicate online through wall post than talking in person to someone. Facebook allows the shy talker (FTF) to open up on Facebook (CMC) and become more comfortable with himself. Interactions now become easier because you already know something about the person you are interacting with and have more confidence. These types of feelings lead to go on facebook more then normal and become more outgoing through CMC communication.
"Just let me check my email"
Constantly spending time checking and replying to emails has the capability of causing one to become a problematic Internet user. Making sure that you are not “late” with a response to friends and family will continue to put you behind the computer screen checking emails. Having the ability to forward emails to your cell phone has once again increased the accessibility and usage of email.
Caplan suggests that problematic Internet use stems from 3 major factors. He believes that people with psychosocial problems begin to hold negative perceptions of their social competence. They prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they are able to feel more successful. The preference to communicate online only grows because they become obsessive and compulsive with their online interaction, and in turn begin to spend longer amounts online.
People have begun the notion that they can only communicate through email. Sometimes they will only resort to email as a mean of communication. Being able to access the email at home, work and school (Caplan 2004) will also have an affect on how much people really spend using their email accounts. Even though it has evolved into a very meaningful way to communicate, using email constantly can be viewed as an addiction. When someone is in communication with many people through email, they sometimes begin to lose contact through other means and eventually just rely on the email service. Once contacts become associated through email, this form of communication usually wins and is used constantly, therefore checking and responding to emails becomes an obsession.
Having access to email through the Internet everywhere, including on your cell phone has made escaping the habit nearly impossible. Once using email regularly, every visit to the Internet usually involves a quick stop to check out the inbox and respond to everyone who has developed the same addictive habit.
Caplan suggests that problematic Internet use stems from 3 major factors. He believes that people with psychosocial problems begin to hold negative perceptions of their social competence. They prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they are able to feel more successful. The preference to communicate online only grows because they become obsessive and compulsive with their online interaction, and in turn begin to spend longer amounts online.
People have begun the notion that they can only communicate through email. Sometimes they will only resort to email as a mean of communication. Being able to access the email at home, work and school (Caplan 2004) will also have an affect on how much people really spend using their email accounts. Even though it has evolved into a very meaningful way to communicate, using email constantly can be viewed as an addiction. When someone is in communication with many people through email, they sometimes begin to lose contact through other means and eventually just rely on the email service. Once contacts become associated through email, this form of communication usually wins and is used constantly, therefore checking and responding to emails becomes an obsession.
Having access to email through the Internet everywhere, including on your cell phone has made escaping the habit nearly impossible. Once using email regularly, every visit to the Internet usually involves a quick stop to check out the inbox and respond to everyone who has developed the same addictive habit.
Assignment 9? What about the body???
Problematic Internet Use, or PIU is something that has been described in ranges from drug-like addiction to a person’s lack of self control. As a member of the first generation to be born and raised online and now in college, I see a massive amount of PIU. It is a real problem that causes real harm to real people. The problem I will focus on is gaming. I am sure there are studies on it and someone calculated how much money the economy loses due to gaming. However, I will discuss the individual, intangible damages that can occur, why online gaming can lead to PIU, and compare what I have found to Caplan’s Theory (which will be introduced later).
My personal experience with online gaming consists of the little flash and javascript games like the ones at addictinggames.com. I have once or twice tried games like Starcraft or Age of Empires online, but the learning curve to be competitive wasn’t worth my time. However, I have witnessed many other people with PIU involving games. The games I am specifically thinking of are World of Warcraft, Age of Empires and Diablo. The World of Warcraft and Diablo are games where an avatar is created to represent the player, and the Age of Empires game, the user is an invisible commander directing and raising troops in battles. I know people who have gotten hooked for short periods of time and played through a couple of days of class, I know someone who played one game through an exam on accident, and finally the worst of the scenarios that I know of, someone had a habit of staying up really late with other “guys in the dorm” playing games to the point where he was getting less than 4 hours of sleep, and ended up getting removed from the Varsity Sport he was on because he couldn’t keep up his grades or concentrate in practice. He also did not return the following year to school.
Clearly, PIU is a real problem that causes real, personal problems and damages. What is it about online gaming that can do this? I think that while there are the characteristics of socializing online, helped by removing gated features and interactional control, I think that online gaming has a much more physiological reason. I think people spend hours on end playing video games because they are socializing with other people and completing missions and being entertained, but they do not have to expend energy to do so. Playing Madden 2011 or whatever is out, for 6 hours straight is nothing compared to playing football for 6 hours straight, or doing anything task oriented that involves action for 6 hours straight. I will mention that the problem isn’t as bad for people who play offline, but I think it is also because people last much longer when doing anything socially, and when physiological problems don’t arise, people can just go for hours.
Caplan’s Theory (Theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being) rides on an idea of a one way cycle of preference for online interaction leading to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which then worsens their problems offline leading to the beginning. I think this can be very simply applied to the online gaming world. People start to play to much World of Warcraft and they screw up in sports and school. Then, wanting to feel some sort of success instead of the intense failure they’ve had all day, they play World of Warcraft without realizing how much time they’re on again, and so on and so on. Caplan mentions that if you have a psychosocial problem it will probably be made worse and make you more addicted to excessive internet use.
I think that Caplan is right in that PIU isn’t because of the internet’s addictive personality, but it is because of addictive people finding a medium that can cater to their wants more easily. Like I mentioned before however, I think online interaction, and especially gaming is easier physiologically, leading to more extended periods of time searching for gaming success, social success, or just raw pleasure and entertainment.
blog 9: Y U OUTBID ME
So here's is a picture that inspired my entry. It's from ihashascheezburger.com
I think this illustrates how bidding on online auction sites can turn into a problematic internet usage.
Need an unlocked phone? Want to find a pair of Jessica Simpson stilettos sold out online? Must get a Star wars Christmas ornament from 1986 for your significant other? Ebay probably has it! Since Ebay opened in1995, it drew billions of users to list, bid and buy items globally at the convenience of home. Wallace cites the number of items as 2 million. I saw 2 million items listed under "collectibles" category alone.
Sellers list items at a nominal fee, add descriptions, pictures and additional informations such as policy regarding shipping and handling. Prospective buyers search the website using a powerful search engine that generates a list of items that fit into specified criteria. When you like something, you make an offer. If someone else wants it, the bidding starts! There can be anywhere from zero to hundreds of offers and the highest price wins the item.
It attracts a great number of users, because availability is not limited on locations or time. As mentioned earlier, items listed can accommodate almost any needs.If the item desired is illegal or rare in your area, ebay is a very attractive source with a great degree of protection of privacy. Most purchases are made through PayPal, preventing credit card information from leaking to sellers. Also Ebay grew into a community; sellers and users establish reliability by receiving feedbacks.
Online auction sites can promote problematic internet use (PIU), because of addictive quality.Why bid online rather than shop from mega online stores, such as amazon.com or smaller mom-and-pop stores? Often items have low starting bid to attract users and bidding activities are concentrated on the last minutes, if not seconds. The addicted laments that excitement of bidding and rush of adrenaline by winning the item can outweigh the actual value of item purchased. The unpredictability lures in prospective buyers. The feature that allows bidding by text-messaging expanded the addictive quality. You can continue bidding anywhere!
Caplan describes a vicious cycle that promotes PIU. Psychosocial problems promote low social competence. Internet interactions become attractive, because it appears less threatening and efficacious. As a result, excessive, compulsive use of internet is rewarded, further promoting the cycle. Although online bidding may not directly influence social competence, there may be a correlation between users who do get addicted to ebay and global psychosocial health. Ebay allows relative anonymous activity. It's possible that some addicted users feel uncomfortable interacting with others offline. Online bidding can resemble gambling. Preoccupation with bidding can disrupt daily functions.
I think this illustrates how bidding on online auction sites can turn into a problematic internet usage.
Need an unlocked phone? Want to find a pair of Jessica Simpson stilettos sold out online? Must get a Star wars Christmas ornament from 1986 for your significant other? Ebay probably has it! Since Ebay opened in1995, it drew billions of users to list, bid and buy items globally at the convenience of home. Wallace cites the number of items as 2 million. I saw 2 million items listed under "collectibles" category alone. Sellers list items at a nominal fee, add descriptions, pictures and additional informations such as policy regarding shipping and handling. Prospective buyers search the website using a powerful search engine that generates a list of items that fit into specified criteria. When you like something, you make an offer. If someone else wants it, the bidding starts! There can be anywhere from zero to hundreds of offers and the highest price wins the item.
It attracts a great number of users, because availability is not limited on locations or time. As mentioned earlier, items listed can accommodate almost any needs.If the item desired is illegal or rare in your area, ebay is a very attractive source with a great degree of protection of privacy. Most purchases are made through PayPal, preventing credit card information from leaking to sellers. Also Ebay grew into a community; sellers and users establish reliability by receiving feedbacks.
Online auction sites can promote problematic internet use (PIU), because of addictive quality.Why bid online rather than shop from mega online stores, such as amazon.com or smaller mom-and-pop stores? Often items have low starting bid to attract users and bidding activities are concentrated on the last minutes, if not seconds. The addicted laments that excitement of bidding and rush of adrenaline by winning the item can outweigh the actual value of item purchased. The unpredictability lures in prospective buyers. The feature that allows bidding by text-messaging expanded the addictive quality. You can continue bidding anywhere!
Caplan describes a vicious cycle that promotes PIU. Psychosocial problems promote low social competence. Internet interactions become attractive, because it appears less threatening and efficacious. As a result, excessive, compulsive use of internet is rewarded, further promoting the cycle. Although online bidding may not directly influence social competence, there may be a correlation between users who do get addicted to ebay and global psychosocial health. Ebay allows relative anonymous activity. It's possible that some addicted users feel uncomfortable interacting with others offline. Online bidding can resemble gambling. Preoccupation with bidding can disrupt daily functions.
#9 - online shopping
For this assignement I have chosen to analyse whether online shopping provides an opportunity for individuals to engage in Problematic Internet Use (PIU) which Caplan (2004) defines as “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving Internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.” Individuals with access to the internet can now buy just about anything their hearts' desire without ever leaving the comfort of their own home. In fact, it is likely that people ordering items online are doing so because they do not have physical access to their desired purchases. Thus, the convenience of online shopping provides an explanation for why it has easily grown into a huge market in which items ranging from cars, to shoes, to ice cream can be bought and delivered across the world at the click of a button. Currently, online shopping is not necessarily catergorized with many other problematic online behaviors, such as pornography and gambling, as potentially "addictive." However, this does not remove the possibility that individuals who do a lot of online shopping are at risk for Probelmatic Internet Use.
Online shopping covers a broad variety of online interactions. Internet users may visit the websites of their favorite retail stores to purchase clothing (for example) directly from a vendor. They may order these items for themselves or have them sent directly to somebody else. More recently, sites such as e-bay which allow users to both buy and sell items from other users of the site, have become increasingly popular. Rather than involving a large company, ebay provides a smaller community where people who have never met trust each other with not only their belongings but with their financial information, because of the security and social norm associated with the site. These two different examples provide two very different examples of shopping online, but both provie an area in which internet users can aquire objects withouth being physically, financially responsible for their purchases. There are no photo ID's checked in online checkouts, and no ability to determine whether the credit card information being entered actually belongs to the person entering it. Thus, online shopping provides an opportunity for indivuduals to take advantage of several of Caplan's factors for determing which behaviors constitute PIU: anonymity, less perceived social risk, and less social responsibility.
The unique properties of the online space provided by online shopping sites allow users to take advantage of its anonymity not only in a financial sense, but also in the fact that they can hide purchases that they consider unfit for public display. Although it may be a drastic example, there has been a large increase in online purchases from sex sites, that will even send packages in discrete packaging to keep the puchases anonymous to everybody but the user. In this sense, users are able to dissociate themselves with purchases they deem inappropriate, and avoid the social responsibility that they have to present themselves in a certain way.
Davis, Flett, and Bessner (2002) note that PIU has four dimensions: diminished impluse control, lonliness/depression, social comfort, and procrastination. I believe that online shopping provides a space in which many of these factors come into play. For example, with the sex shop example, the social comfort of keeping purchases anonymous is provided by the online nature of the shopping experience. Furthermore, users tend to shop alone online, whereas in person it is often a social event, where your peer may help discourage you from making poor decisions. This fact, combined with the indirect financial consequence of online shopping provide an environment in which diminished impulse control is certainly present in users. Associating yourself with a site such as ebay, where members communicate and chat with each other also provides a space to cure lonliness and an area for procrastination.
Online shopping, if used only moderately, certainly provides all the convenience that a busy lifestyle needs. You don't have to leave home to shop, spend time in busy stores, and look for items than may not be directly available to you. Although no evidence that it leads to PIU in the sense that Caplan (2004) defines it (i.e. negative academic, professional and social consequences) the factors for developing an addiction to online shopping are certainly present and must be actively monitored in order to avoid developing problematic internet use.
Online shopping covers a broad variety of online interactions. Internet users may visit the websites of their favorite retail stores to purchase clothing (for example) directly from a vendor. They may order these items for themselves or have them sent directly to somebody else. More recently, sites such as e-bay which allow users to both buy and sell items from other users of the site, have become increasingly popular. Rather than involving a large company, ebay provides a smaller community where people who have never met trust each other with not only their belongings but with their financial information, because of the security and social norm associated with the site. These two different examples provide two very different examples of shopping online, but both provie an area in which internet users can aquire objects withouth being physically, financially responsible for their purchases. There are no photo ID's checked in online checkouts, and no ability to determine whether the credit card information being entered actually belongs to the person entering it. Thus, online shopping provides an opportunity for indivuduals to take advantage of several of Caplan's factors for determing which behaviors constitute PIU: anonymity, less perceived social risk, and less social responsibility.
The unique properties of the online space provided by online shopping sites allow users to take advantage of its anonymity not only in a financial sense, but also in the fact that they can hide purchases that they consider unfit for public display. Although it may be a drastic example, there has been a large increase in online purchases from sex sites, that will even send packages in discrete packaging to keep the puchases anonymous to everybody but the user. In this sense, users are able to dissociate themselves with purchases they deem inappropriate, and avoid the social responsibility that they have to present themselves in a certain way.
Davis, Flett, and Bessner (2002) note that PIU has four dimensions: diminished impluse control, lonliness/depression, social comfort, and procrastination. I believe that online shopping provides a space in which many of these factors come into play. For example, with the sex shop example, the social comfort of keeping purchases anonymous is provided by the online nature of the shopping experience. Furthermore, users tend to shop alone online, whereas in person it is often a social event, where your peer may help discourage you from making poor decisions. This fact, combined with the indirect financial consequence of online shopping provide an environment in which diminished impulse control is certainly present in users. Associating yourself with a site such as ebay, where members communicate and chat with each other also provides a space to cure lonliness and an area for procrastination.
Online shopping, if used only moderately, certainly provides all the convenience that a busy lifestyle needs. You don't have to leave home to shop, spend time in busy stores, and look for items than may not be directly available to you. Although no evidence that it leads to PIU in the sense that Caplan (2004) defines it (i.e. negative academic, professional and social consequences) the factors for developing an addiction to online shopping are certainly present and must be actively monitored in order to avoid developing problematic internet use.
Assignment 9: Picking up girls online
There are many online activities associated with Problematic Internet Use including porn, Facebook and away message stalking, online poker…etc. However, the one that I have chosen to look at for this assignment is a self proclaimed addicting use of the internet: addictinggames.com. The website, www.addictinggames.com has hundreds of online games that cause people to develop an addiction, whether it is an addiction to beat some of the games, such as the Impossible Quiz, my personal favorite, arcade games, sports games, and adventure games.
However, recently, many games have been added that involve the use of avatars, such as Smooth Talker. This is a game in which a person can practice hitting on women in a bar by telling them a joke, complimenting them, or being flat out vulgar (use your imagination). Although some people may use the site for procrastination or use it during some classes, such as my roommate who sits in a computer lab (section) for two hours a week, some use this in lieu of face to face social interaction and it eventually leads to a problem. Caplan states problematic internet use is associated with people who are more lonely and depressed individuals than others and who may develop a preference for online social interaction in place of face to face interaction which in turn leads to negative outcomes associated with their internet use. This preference for online social interaction is an important aspect because “individuals who suffer from psychosocial distress, such as loneliness and depression, hold negative perceptions of their own social competence” (Caplan 627). They already see themselves as being socially inept and the internet provides an outlet for them.
For example, in the game Smooth Talker, the first action you need to do is pick on one of the four girls sitting in the bar. You are then told to pick an action, one of twenty actions and you either pick the right one or strike out. It even seems like it contains operant conditioning because the online users are forced to note which actions they have chosen and which pick-up actions have been turned down. It will help them stay alert and make changes in the future. You are able to keep picking actions until you pick the correct action, the thing that makes this game in particular so addicting. These games can lead to PUI because they do not cost anything and are easily accessible. They also, although perhaps not at first, make you feel good about yourself. In smooth talker, the girl will always accept your action if she likes the one you pick. These games do become a problem because you may eventually gain a preference for this online social interaction which can worsen problems at home, school, and work.
However, recently, many games have been added that involve the use of avatars, such as Smooth Talker. This is a game in which a person can practice hitting on women in a bar by telling them a joke, complimenting them, or being flat out vulgar (use your imagination). Although some people may use the site for procrastination or use it during some classes, such as my roommate who sits in a computer lab (section) for two hours a week, some use this in lieu of face to face social interaction and it eventually leads to a problem. Caplan states problematic internet use is associated with people who are more lonely and depressed individuals than others and who may develop a preference for online social interaction in place of face to face interaction which in turn leads to negative outcomes associated with their internet use. This preference for online social interaction is an important aspect because “individuals who suffer from psychosocial distress, such as loneliness and depression, hold negative perceptions of their own social competence” (Caplan 627). They already see themselves as being socially inept and the internet provides an outlet for them.
For example, in the game Smooth Talker, the first action you need to do is pick on one of the four girls sitting in the bar. You are then told to pick an action, one of twenty actions and you either pick the right one or strike out. It even seems like it contains operant conditioning because the online users are forced to note which actions they have chosen and which pick-up actions have been turned down. It will help them stay alert and make changes in the future. You are able to keep picking actions until you pick the correct action, the thing that makes this game in particular so addicting. These games can lead to PUI because they do not cost anything and are easily accessible. They also, although perhaps not at first, make you feel good about yourself. In smooth talker, the girl will always accept your action if she likes the one you pick. These games do become a problem because you may eventually gain a preference for this online social interaction which can worsen problems at home, school, and work.
iTunes Music Store: iMaddicted
After mastering the basics of its use, the Internet can be a very addicting medium. In a study titled, Preference for Online Social Interaction: A Theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being, Scott Caplan defines PIU (Problematic Internet Use) as “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving Internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences.” In some cases, PIU may lead to excessive, and even compulsive (in which the individual is unable control his/her online activity), use of the Internet. With this in mind, one is left to wonder, why does PIU occur?
Regarding Caplin’s study, the Internet affords greater anonymity, greater control over self-presentation, less perceived social risk, more intense and intimate self-disclosure, and less social responsibility. Given these factors, I have decided to analyze the iTunes Music Store.
Opening on April 28, 2003, the iTunes Music Store has gained considerable popularity, “accounting for more than 80% of worldwide online digital music sales.” Currently charging a mere ninety-nine cents per song with only the push of a couple computer keys, iTunes Music Store’s attractiveness is not surprising. Because of its rising reputation, the iTunes Music Store now provides music videos/television shows and even movies at $1.99 and $9.99+, respectively. One of the greatest aspects of the Store is its accessibility. The past inconvenience of leaving the couch to rent a movie no longer applies, as iTunes provides millions of songs and thousands of television shows and videos. The iTunes Music Store has effectively made it possible to sit in your house the entire day, without moving, and still enjoy all sorts of entertainment. However, with these conveniences come a few problems…
In order to secure an account with the iTunes Music Store, all one needs do is enter a page of personal information, including a credit card number. After that, you never need to pull the card out again…it has been stored. The ease in purchasing songs in combination with the songs’ accessibility may lead users to forget the wasted money spent song after song, movie after movie. With each song, iTunes offers a list of related artists, tempting the user to continue browsing the Store. In addition to all of this, iTunes also allows you to sample thirty seconds of each song, thereby sucking the user even more into its addictive allure. Hours may be spent searching new types of music and wasting money, penny-by-penny (negative consequence), ultimately leading to Problematic Internet Use (PIU), in which the user lacks the ability to discontinue use. When I began using the iTunes Music Store, I really liked the ease of access and the fact that I did not have to pull out a credit card every few minutes. However, after five minutes and six songs downloaded (six dollars depleted), I realized the addictive nature of the site and quickly erased my account with the iTunes Music Store.
As Caplin’s study contends, greater anonymity, greater control over self-presentation, less perceived social risk, less social responsibility, and more intense and intimate self-disclosure, are a few of the advantages afforded by the Internet. In analyzing the iTunes Music Store and Problematic Internet Use, such terms useful in computer-mediated communication hardly apply. Nevertheless, greater anonymity may play a part in iTunes Music Store addiction. For instance, if an individual seeks an item that may be embarrassing to purchase in front of a cashier (i.e. an unrated movie), the anonymity afforded by iTunes eliminates the dilemma. Additionally, Caplin’s second hypothesis, which states that there is “a positive relationship between individuals’ degree of preference for online social interaction and symptoms of PIU,” also relates to iTunes Music Store addiction, as the basic idea that preference for online interaction (in this case it is not social) is positively correlated with symptoms of Problematic Internet Use. However, as explained in the last paragraph, the greatest problem with the iTunes Music Store is its ease of access and its many layers (all sorts of songs, videos, etc, and even recommendations for related songs) can lure in the unsuspecting “newbie” (new user) for both a price and time commitment far greater than anticipated. Watch out!
Don't believe me... http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread.php?t=9373
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