Internet Use, Social Skills, and Adjustment

Abstract

The present study investigated the extent to which inter-personal skills, personality, and emotional intelligence (EI) were related to the extent of usage of the Internet, as measured with the Internet Addiction Scale, on a sample of undergraduates. EI was assessed by performance measures derived from the identification and labeling of emotions as shown in pictures of facial expressions, and as interpreted from descriptions of social episodes. Use of the Internet was related to loneliness and adherence to idiosyncratic values (strong effects), and also to poorer balance between work and leisure and emotional intelligence (weaker effects). Big Five personality dimensions were also included in the study. No link was found between personality and usage of the Internet. Results suggest that frequent users tend to be lonely, to have deviant values, and to some extent to lack the emotional and social skills characteristic of high EI.

A Comparative Analysis of Psychological Disorders between Internet Addicted Students and Ordinary Internet Users in Zabol University of Medical Sciences

“…This findings is consistent with the results of Cao et al [12], Yen et al [18], Young et al [24], Jang et al [19], Ko et al [25], Engelberg and Suberg [26], Yenjyko et al [27], Yun et al [28], Alavi et al [6], and Nastizaee [5] who indicated that the level of anxiety of the Internet addicted students was more than that of other students. An explanation is that the cause of the relationship between anxiety and Internet addiction is not clear yet.…”

Life style and social support: The role of Computer/Internet Use

“…Furthermore, having the opportunity of maintaining the communication on the internet environment not only spending time within the social life could positively affect the social support individuals would perceive. Although it was reported in the previous researches that social and psychological well-being levels of the individuals who spent less time on the social networking websites were higher (Moore and McElroy, 2012;Nie, 2001;Nie and Erbring, 2000;Turkle, 1996;Stoll, 1995),it should not be forgotten that overuse of such communication instruments could drive individuals to loneliness (Engelberg and Sjoberg, 2004), and as the level of social support individuals perceived from their families decreased, individuals' level of internet addiction could increase (Günüç, 2013).…”

“…Individuals have started to commonly use the opportunities internet has recently provided for reaching to information, making shares, socializing or establishing new friendships. However, individuals have been noticed to have problems such as experiencing increase at feeling anger, communication problems and feeling loneliness whereas they have been expected to experience the positive improvements provided by the internet (Whang, Lee and Chang, 2003;Tsai and Lin, 2003;Engelberg and Sjoberg, 2004;Yang and Tung, 2007;Karaca, 2007;Ata, Akpınar and Kelleci, 2011;Çelik, 2012).…”

“…It should not be ignored that the increase at this rate is possible to reflect on the problematic use of the internet. There have been several studies upon internet's causing several psychological problems such as increase at aggressiveness, and anger of individuals, and failure in social relationships depending upon the problematic use of the internet (Young, 1996;Whang et al, 2003;Tsai and Lin 2003;Engelberg and Sjoberg, 2004;Widyanto and Mcmurran 2004;Özcan, 2004Özcan, , Ulusoy, 2008Kanoğlu, 2008;Evcin, 2010;Günay, 2011), and causing damages in musculoskeletal system due to upright and sitting positions, neck stiffness, visual impairments and sleep disturbances depending upon spending much time on the internet (Özmutaf and Gökmen, 2008;Gün, Özer, Ekinci and Öztürk, 2004).…”

“…And this generally reveals itself through individuals' spending more time on the internet and social networking websites (Ersun, Köze, Muslu, Beytut, Başbakkal and Conk, 2012). The increase at the time of spending more time on electronic environments is possible to cause individuals' encountering with several psychological problems (Young, 1996;Whang et al, 2003;Tsai and Lin 2003;Engelberg and Sjoberg, 2004;Widyanto and Mcmurran, 2004;Özcan, 2004Özcan, , Ulusoy, 2008Kanoğlu, 2008;Evcin, 2010;Günay, 2011), having lower scores in their academic life, and experience less personal satisfaction (Rideout, Foehr and Roberts, 2010).…”