Date of Award

1999

Publication Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Social.

Supervisor

Towson, Shelagh,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

In this study Internet dependent and non-Internet dependent university students were compared in terms of their levels of perceived social support, self-esteem, shyness, loneliness, gender, and level of dissociation. Two hundred and eleven undergraduate students enrolled in a first year Communications Studies course offered at a university in Southwestern Ontario agreed to participate in a study about their Internet use and their leisure and social habits. Students responded to a survey consisting of the following measures: an Internet and Personal Computer (PC) Use Scale, an Internet Dependence Scale, an abbreviated Perceived Social Support Scale, the Texas Social Behaviour Inventory, the Revised Shyness Scale, an abbreviated Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale, a Dissociation Screen, and demographic items. On the basis of the Internet Dependence Scale, 20% of the participants were classified as Internet dependent and 80% were classified as non-Internet dependent. As hypothesized, Internet dependent students were more likely to be male than female, perceived less social support from their friends and family, but perceived more social support from their Internet friends than did non-Internet dependent students. Also as predicted, Internet dependents demonstrated more shyness, more social loneliness, and more dissociation than did non-Internet dependents. The implications of the findings of this preliminary study are discussed and future research directions are identified.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1999 .O36. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-09, Section: B, page: 5058. Adviser: Shelagh Towson. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1999.

Download

Share

COinS