Social Anxiety in Online and Real-Life Interaction and Their Associated Factors

Abstract

Social anxiety was compared between online and real-life interaction in a sample of 2,348 college students. Severity of social anxiety in both real-life and online interaction was tested for associations with depression, Internet addiction, Internet activity type (gaming versus chatting), and scores on Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)/Behavioral Activation System (BAS) scales. The results showed that social anxiety was lower when interacting online than when interacting offline. Depression, Internet addiction, and high BIS and BAS scores were associated with high social anxiety. The social anxiety decreased more in online interaction among subjects with high social anxiety, depression, BIS, and BAS. This result suggests that the Internet has good potential as an alternative medium for delivering interventions for social anxiety. Further, the effect of BIS on social anxiety is decreased in online interaction. More attention should be paid for BIS when the treatment for social anxiety is delivered online.

How do we interact online? An approach to researching multidimensionality of online communication

“…Consequently, our H.2c was only partially confirmed. We did not find that social anxiety was associated with online procreativity at all, although findings of some previous studies gave us the reason to hypothesize this (Lee & Stapinski, 2012;Yen et al, 2012;Caplan, 2006;Van den Heuvel et al, 2012). Social anxiety might be related to some other aspect of online communication other than online procreativity.…”

“…Furthermore, those who are experiencing higher anxiety are expected to be reluctant to participate in a public group interaction, at least with familiar people, judging they would fear other people's negative comments, as they do in real life (Caplan, 2006;Lee & Stapinski, 2012;Van den Heuvel et al, 2012;Yen et al, 2012).…”

Risk factors associated with online game addiction: A hierarchical model

“…Based on an online survey of 1642 people (19-60 years of age), Wang and Wang (2013) reported that excessive internet use is motivated by cyberspace social encounters in individuals with poor offline social support, including support from family members. However, based on a survey of 2348 college students, Yen et al (2012) suggested that the internet is a good alternative outlet for individuals with social anxiety. In contrast, Lee and Stapinski (2012) reported that online communication exacerbates face-to-face avoidance in individuals with higher levels of perceived social anxiety.…”

The Role of Attachment Styles, Peer Relations, and Affections in Predicting Internet Addiction

“…Internet usage in adolescents increases each day in order to avoid actual social relationships, conceal actual identities, do research on identity styles, and get feedback about one's own identity style. However, excessive Internet use, which can harm functionality, can also cause Internet addiction (Yen et al, 2012).…”