Mikaella C.
Fajutrao
BA ELS 3
INTERNET ADDICTION AND ANTISOCIAL INTERNET
BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENTS
Research No. 2
ScientificWorldJournal. 2011; 11: 2187–2196.
Published online 2011 Nov 3.
doi: 10.1100/2011/308631
Hing Keung Ma
I. INTRODUCTION
According to the survey by the Internet World Stats in 2005 [1], about 68.8% of the Hong Kong
population, approximately 4.878 million people, are Internet users. Similarly, the Hong Kong
Internet Project by City University [2, page 3] also found that “there were 3.65 million Internet users
in Hong Kong at the end of 2008, who account for 68.7% of the corresponding population (i.e., 5.31
million regular residents)” between the age of 18 and 74. The use of Internet becomes a daily activity
for many people in Hong Kong, and Internet users usually regard Internet as important to their life,
work, or study [2, page 21]. In some sense, Internet is an indispensable tool for many people.
Unfortunately some people are overdependent on the Internet in their daily activities to the extent
that the excessive use of the Internet causes damage and trouble in their daily life. In this paper, the
prevalence of problematic Internet use will be discussed first, and the concept of Internet addiction
will be delineated. The moral reasoning underlying the antisocial Internet behavior will also be
discussed in detail.
The impact of Internet on our life becomes more and more significant and undeniable. Life without
Internet is definitely very troublesome and inconvenient. The invention of Internet is just like the
discovery of nuclear energy—it is the result of the rapid development of science and technology—it
can be good or bad thing for human beings, depending on how we use it. It can be good if we use it
prosocially or positively, and it can be bad if we use it immorally or antisocially. There is no simple
way to stop science and technology development, but the teaching of a positive and moral attitude in
the use of Internet is imminent and necessary in education nowadays.
II. PATHOLOGICAL INTERNET USE OR INTERNET ADDICTION
Some people spend a lot of time in Internet use every day, and their excessive Internet use has a
significant and negative impact on their daily life. Some researchers regard this type of excessive
Internet use as Internet addiction or pathological Internet use [3–11]. Internet addiction is usually
regarded as an uncontrollable and damaging use of the Internet [12].
Shapira et al. [13, page 269] in their study on the psychiatric features of individuals with problematic
Internet use found that problematic Internet use was “associated with subjective distress,
considerable social, vocational, and/or financial impairments, as well as substantial psychiatric
comorbidity.” Based on previous research, three major concepts of Internet addiction are delineated
as follows.
2.1. Technological Addiction
Internet addiction is regarded as a kind of technological addiction, which refers to “non-chemical
(behavioral) addictions that involve human-machine interactions” [11, page 31].
Griffiths [7] argues that excessive Internet users may not be “Internet addicts” because they use the
Internet excessively as a means to fuel their other addiction and interest. For example, compulsive
gamblers use the Internet to gamble for a long time, or shopaholics spend long hours in the Internet
for cybershopping.
2.2. Categories of Internet Addiction
Young [8–10] classifies Internet addiction into five different types of behaviors. (1) Cybersexual
addiction: the addicts spent a lot of time in adult websites for cybersex and cyberporn. (2) Cyber-
relationship addiction: the addicts involved heavily in online relationships. (3) Net compulsions: the
addicts exhibited obsessive online gambling and shopping. They are compulsive online gamblers and
shopaholics. (4) Information overload: the addicts displayed compulsive web surfing and database
searches. (5) Computer game addiction: the addicts were obsessive online game players.
2.3. Pathological Internet Use
Davis [5] prefers to use the term Pathological Internet Use (PIU) instead of Internet addiction. He
focuses maladaptive cognitions associated with PIU and divides PIU into two categories: (1)
Generalized PIU: it “involves a general, multidimensional overuse of the Internet. It might also
include wasting time online without a clear objective” [5, page 188]. (2) Specific PIU: people with
specific PIU are overdependent on a specific function of the Internet, for example, overuse of online
sexual material/service, online auction services, and online gambling.
2.4. The Concept of Internet Addiction
In fact, there is no definition of Internet addiction that is universally accepted by psychologists and
scholars in this field [4, 12]. While the investigation of the concept of Internet addiction is still a
main agenda of many researchers [11, 14], the problems of excessive use of Internet, especially in
school students, become more and more prevalent and disturbing. It is perhaps useful and
constructive to study carefully the typical behaviors of those who use the Internet excessively as well
as what people are usually doing, prosocially or antisocially, in the Internet. The understanding of the
nature of these problems may help researchers and educators to develop educational programs in
solving some of these problems, for example, to promote positive use and to prevent antisocial use of
the Internet.
2.5. Prevention of Internet Addiction
If Internet addiction is regarded as a kind of mental disorder [12], then the prevention of Internet
addiction should become an essential part of a mental health program. It is believed that a holistic
program that tries to provide a comprehensive and general basis for the development of a healthy
body and mind is more effective than a specific program that focuses mainly on the problems
associated with Internet use.
III. CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNET ADDICTS
Shek et al. [15] examined Internet addiction behavior in 6,121 Chinese primary and secondary
students in Hong Kong and found that one-fifth of their sample could be regarded as Internet
addicted. Fu and his colleagues [16] found that 6.7% of the Hong Kong teenagers display five or
more symptoms of Internet addiction. In addition, the Internet addiction symptoms seem to go along
with individuals' suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. The situation in China is also quite
serious. About 13.7% of adolescent Internet users (about 10 million teenagers) could be classified as
Internet addicts [17]. The situation in Taiwan is also similar. Lin and Tsai [18] found that 11.8% of
the senior secondary school students in their Taiwan study could be regarded as Internet dependents.
Research also indicated that 4.0% to 8.1% of the university students showed excessive or
pathological Internet use [19, 20].
The symptoms of Internet addiction or Pathological Internet Use include “obsessive thoughts about
the Internet, tolerance, diminished impulse control, inability to cease using the Internet, and
withdrawal” [5, page 187]. Beard and Wolf [21] have also proposed a set of diagnostic criteria for
Internet addiction. The characteristics of Internet addicts are described below, with references to
previous empirical studies.
3.1. Excessive Use of Internet
Internet addicts spend almost more than triple the number of hours in Internet use than non-Internet
addicts [4]. Young also found that the average number of hours per week using Internet by Internet
dependents was 38.5 hours, while the nondependents spent only an average of 4.90 hours [22].
According to a survey by Hong Kong Youths Association in 2005 [23], young people of ages 10 to
29 spent an average of 18.4 hours per week in Internet use. About one tenth (9.9%) of the sample
spent 42 hours per week, that is, an average of six hours per day on line. In some sense, Internet use
is the most important or salient activity in the addicts' daily life, and they usually stay on line longer
than they originally expected.
3.2. Obsessive Thoughts about the Internet
The addict “is preoccupied with the Internet (thinks about previous online activity or anticipates next
online session)” [21, page 379] and is unable to refrain from thinking about the Internet most of the
time when he or she is awake.
3.3. Pleasant Feeling in Internet Use
People have a lot fun by using Internet. The Internet exposures of the Internet addicts appear to be
pleasurable, entertaining, interactive, and relaxed [24, 25]. Overall speaking, the addicts enjoyed the
Internet experiences, and the enjoyment and pleasure would drive them to be addicted to Internet use.
3.4. Tolerance
The tolerance symptom refers to the “needs to use the Internet with increased amount of time in
order to achieve satisfaction” [21, page 379]. This symptom is closely related to the excessive use or
overuse of the Internet by the addicts.
3.5. Diminished Impulse Control
The diminished impulse control is related to the reduced emotional self-regulation to control one's
impulses to reach a goal. In other words, the addicts tend to lose their control of their behavior. In
particular, they are unable to cut back or stop Internet use.
3.6. Withdrawal
The withdrawal symptom of the addicts refers to the unpleasant feeling (restless, moody, depressed,
or irritable) when the Internet activity is being stopped or cut down.
3.7. Impact on Daily Life
The impact on the daily life and study of the Internet addicts is usually negative [24]. The addicts
may sometimes risk the loss of a significant relationship, educational or career opportunity because
of the Internet. They may lie to others because of their overinvolvement with the Internet, and they
also use Internet as a means to escape from problems or to settle one's unpleasant emotion such as
helplessness, anxiety, guilt, or shame [21, page 379].
3.8. Parental and Family Interactions
Internet addicts spent less time with their parents and other family members and tended to have
tension with them [22].
3.9. Friendship and Romantic Relationships
Internet addicts tend to have less friends and romantic relationships [26]. They are more lonely and
solitary.
3.10. Health Problems
Internet addicts are less healthy than nonaddicts, and they are also less willing to seek medical
treatment and less motivated to develop stress-relieving practices [26].
3.11. Academic Performance
Chang and Law [27] found that academic performance is negatively related to Internet addiction
score.
3.12. Lonely Character
Morahan-Martin and Schumacher [28] found that loneliness is associated with increased Internet use.
The average weekly hours on line of the lonely people was significantly higher than that of the
nonlonely people. Lonely people used the Internet when they felt lonely, depressed, or anxious.
“They were more likely to make and interact with online friends, and to use the Internet for
emotional support” [28, page 669].
The characteristics of Internet Addicts are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1: Characteristics of Internet addicts.
Characteristics Typical Behaviours
(1) Excessive use of Spent more than 40 hours on line per week.
Internet
(2) Obsessive thought Unable to refrain from thinking about the Internet.
about the Internet
(3) Pleasant feeling in Internet exposures are pleasurable, entertaining, interactive, and
Internet use relaxed.
(4) Tolerance The need to use the Internet with increased amount of time in order to
achieve satisfaction.
(5) Diminished impulse Reduced emotional self-regulation to control one's impulses to reach a
control goal; unable to stop using the Internet.
(6) Withdrawal Unpleasant feeling when the Internet activity is being stopped or cut
down.
(7) Impact on daily life Risking the loss of a significant relationship, educational or career
opportunity because of the Internet; lying to others, and escaping from
problems.
(8) Parental and Family Spent less time with family members, the tension with parents is usually
Interactions high.
Characteristics Typical Behaviours
(9) Friendship and Less friends and romantic relationships.
romantic relationships
(10) Health problems Less willing to seek medical treatment and less motivated to develop
stress-relieving practices.
(11) Academic Usually at lower level.
performance
(12) Lonely character Lonely people used the Internet when they felt lonely, depressed or
anxious.
IV. ANTISOCIAL OR DELINQUENT INTERNET USE
Based on previous research [35, 36], the major antisocial and delinquent behaviors of adolescents
include (1) general deviance such as theft, alcohol use, cheating on exams, and coming to school late;
(2) drug use; (3) defying parents (e.g., shouting at one's father or mother or going against your
parents' wishes); (4) antisocial acts against one's teachers or school authority; (5) socially undesirable
sexual activities; (6) aggressive or hostile acts such as bullying others or group fist fighting. It is
argued that Internet behavior is a kind of social behavior. In fact, Ma et al. [37] have proposed the
Positive Association Hypothesis which states that “There is a positive association between the
Internet behavior and daily social behavior.” In other words, positive Internet behavior is supposed to
positively associated with positive daily social behavior, and negative Internet behavior is positively
associated with negative daily social behavior. Their data involving 509 secondary school students
clearly supported the hypothesis. The implication of this study is that the cyber world is not virtual, it
is quite real—it is in fact part of our real world. Educationally speaking, we should place more
emphasis on Internet use education because of the prevalence and popularity of Internet use in young
people.
The following behaviors are regarded as antisocial Internet behavior.
(1) Illegal Downloading —Downloading film, music or video clips without permission is a common
illegal activity that adolescents carry out in the Internet. In a survey of 559 young people of age 10 to
24 on Internet activities, 57.4% of the participants admitted that they had downloaded film or music
without obtaining permission from the license holders [38].
(2) Pornographic or Aggressive Information —In the same survey, 37.9% of the participants indicated
that they have obtained pornographic or obscene or aggressive materials through the Internet [38].
(3) Cyberbullying —It is the use of Internet to bully others (i.e., cyberbullying) such as distributing
libelous statements against a certain person; humiliating, embarrassing, or harassing the peers: About
40% of the teens indicated that they have been bullied while they were on-line [39, 40].
(4) Cheating Behaviour —It is the use of Internet to cheat others. It is easy to cheat others on line
because you are anonymous to others and your identity can be hidden easily if you wish.
(5) Online Gambling —You can gamble online with others or take part in the online casinos. Online
gambling includes online poker, online sports betting, online lotteries, and online bingo [41].In
addition, some adolescents may also use the Internet to carry out illegal activities such as selling
faked products or offensive pornographic materials or to carry out morally or socially unacceptable
activities such as compensated dating.
The judgment of each of the above Internet behaviors can be explained by Kohlberg's [30, 31] stages
of moral development presented in the above section, “Moral Basis of Internet Use”. Ma [42] argued
that moral judgment is an essential component of moral competence which is one of the 15 positive
youth development constructs proposed by Catalano and his colleagues [43]. The moral basis of
Internet use thus also depicts a strong association between the moral competence and Internet
behavior.
V. PREVENTION OF ANTISOCIAL INTERNET USE
Generally speaking, a holistic program that was based on positive youth constructs [43] or positive
moral characters [44] would be helpful to promote prosocial Internet use and prevent antisocial
Internet use. Specifically the program should place emphasis on the following constructs or
characters: (1) self-respect or self-esteem, (2) respect for others, (3) social and civil responsibility,
and (4) global responsibility and world citizenship. In addition, the teaching of self-efficacy, time
management, self-discipline, or self-control is also useful in cultivating a positive attitude in the use
of Internet. The rationale for developing a teaching program for junior secondary students is given in
Ma and his colleagues [45].
CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
More and more people use the Internet in their daily life. Unfortunately the percentage of people who
use the Internet excessively also increases. The concept of Internet addiction or pathological use of
Internet is discussed in detail, and the characteristics of Internet addicts are also delineated. The
antisocial use of Internet is also discussed. It is argued that the teaching of a positive and moral
attitude in the use of Internet should become an indispensable part of our education nowadays. It is
also believed that a general, holistic, whole-person education program that is based on Catalano et
al.'s [43] positive youth constructs and Ma's [44] positive moral characters is effective for promoting
prosocial Internet use and preventing antisocial Internet use.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was supported by Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
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