Automatic detection advantage of network information among Internet addicts: behavioral and ERP evidence

Abstract

Converging evidence has proved the attentional bias of Internet addicts (IAs) on network information. However, previous studies have neither explained how characteristics of network information are detected by IAs with priority nor proved whether this advantage is in line with the unconscious and automatic process. To answer the two questions, this study aims to investigate whether IAs prioritize automatic detection of network information from the behavior and cognitive neuroscience aspects. 15 severe IAs and 15 matching healthy controls were selected using Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Dot-probe task with mask was used in the behavioral experiment, while deviant-standard reverse oddball paradigm was used in the event-related potential (ERP) experiment to induce mismatch negativity (MMN). In the dot-probe task, when the probe location appeared on the Internet-related picture’s position, the IAs had significantly shorter reaction time than do the controls; in the ERP experiment, when Internet-related picture appeared, MMN was significantly induced in the IAs relative to the controls. Both experiments show that IAs can automatically detect network information.

Automatic Processing Advantage of Cartoon Face in Internet Gaming Disorder: Evidence From P100, N170, P200, and MMN

“…He et al (62) used the reversed deviant-standard oddball paradigm to investigate the automatic detection advantage of Internet addicts (IAs) toward Internet-related pictures and found that Internet-related pictures elicited larger MMN amplitude in the IA group than that in the control group. They also found that Internet-related pictures elicited larger MMN amplitude than the neutral pictures in the IA group.…”

“…Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that the brain reward system of individuals with IGD exhibits an increased degree of activation in response to addiction-related cues (66–69). Following the incentive-sensitization model, He et al (62) believed that long-term Internet addiction behavior changes the function of IAs' brain system related to the reward circuit so that the reward circuit gradually shows increased sensitivity to Internet-related cues. This neural sensitization in turn leads to Internet-related cues becoming a salient incentive.…”

Homo Interneticus—The Sociological Reality of Mobile Online Being

“…It has even been claimed that epigenetic mechanisms may come into play here, leading to an atrophying of our powers of memory and a reduction of our attention span; we are also negatively impacted by the demands of engagement in multitasking, icon-based communication, and extensive possibilities for psychological disturbance, with Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) becoming a recognized mental problem. All these consequences of the intensive use of digital technology reinforce the need for the scientific investigation of what happens to Internet users following such a massive insertion of digital technology into their lives [18][19][20][21].…”

Influence of abstinence on automatic detection bias to gaming cues in individuals with Internet gaming disorder: Evidence from visual mismatch negativity

“…He et al. (2018) provided evidence for this bias at the behavioral and cognitive neural levels. At the behavioral level, the researchers used a visual dot‐probe masking paradigm and found that individuals with IGD showed significantly faster reaction times when probing dots were consistent with Internet‐related pictures, whereas healthy individuals showed no significant reaction time differences for probing dots in the consistent versus inconsistent condition.…”

“…Some researchers have further found that the cognitive processing bias of individuals with IGD for Internet gaming cues is based on an automatic detection bias for gaming‐related cues (He et al., 2018). According to incentive‐sensitization theory (Franken, 2003; Robinson & Berridge, 1993), long‐term repeated online gaming behavior alters neuronal circuits associated with motivation and reward processing in the neural system of individuals with IGD (Ko et al., 2013; Sun et al., 2012), which makes the reward center progressively more sensitive to game‐related features, resulting in increased automatic detection of related features.…”