Individual Differences

and Problematic
Internet Use
Gustavo A. Contreras, PSYC 100W-03,
Fall 2018
What Is Problematic Internet Use (PIU)?

● Also known as internet

addiction.
● Defined as “excessive or poorly
controlled preoccupations, urges,
or behaviors regarding computer
use and internet access that lead
to impairment or distress”
(McLean, 2013, p. 2)
● Not recognized by the DSM-5.

(Jelenchick et al., 2014)

Why Is PIU Research Important?

● There are currently over four billion internet users, and this number is
continuing to rise.
● More people using the internet means more people will be vulnerable to PIU.
● Research into what individual differences ( i.e., personality traits) are the
best predictors of PIU can help develop interventions for at-risk individuals
and treatment options for people with PIU-related disorders.
● Current research trends into PIU can be divided into three categories:
cognitive aspects of PIU, behavioral aspects of PIU, and emotional aspects
of PIU, with a higher focus on the cognitive-behavioral aspects.
Worldwide Internet Use Statistics (Kemp, 2018)
Worldwide Internet Use Statistics (Kemp, 2018)
Cognitive Aspects of PIU

● Cognitions related to PIU are mental processes and thought patterns with a
statistical relationship to PIU.
● Durak and Şenol-Durak (2014) studied the relationships between the Big Five
(OCEAN) personality traits and cognitions related to PIU.
● These were defined by Durak and Şenol-Durak as loneliness, depression,
diminished impulse control, distraction, and low social comfort.
● It was found that loneliness, depression, and low self control had a positive
relationship with neuroticism and a negative relationship with
conscientiousness.
Cognitive Aspects of PIU (cont.)

● Diminished impulse control had a negative relationship with

conscientiousness.
● Low social comfort had a positive relationship with neuroticism.
● Time spent online had a positive relationship with every cognition related to
PIU (loneliness, depression, diminished impulse control, distraction, and low
social comfort).
● Males were more likely to have higher scores on every cognition related to
PIU when compared to women.
Behavioral Aspects of PIU

● Tsiolka, Bergiannaki, Margariti, Malliori, and Papageorgiou (2017) studied

the relationship between the Big Five personality traits neuroticism and
extraversion and PIU behavior.
● PIU behavior was measured by Tsiolka et al. by using the Internet Addiction
Test (IAT) which measures “degree of preoccupation, compulsive use,
behavioral problems, emotional changes, and impact upon functionality
consequent to internet utilization” (p. 213).
● It was found that neuroticism had a near significant positive relationship
with PIU behavior and a near significant negative relationship with
extraversion.
Internet Addiction Test (Liga et al., 2013)
Conclusion

● PIU has both cognitive and behavioral factors.

● Cognitions related to PIU are associated with high levels of neuroticism and
low levels of conscientiousness.
● Time spent online and being male was associated with a higher likelihood of
exhibiting cognitions related to PIU.
● PIU behavior is associated with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of
extraversion.
● This information can be used to predict what populations are at-risk for PIU
and allow for preventative measures or treatments.
References
Alrobai, A., & Dogan, H. (2015). Digital addiction ontology for social networking systems, presented at Social Informatics

International Workshop, Barcelona, Spain, 2014.

Durak, M., & Senol-Durak, E. (2014). Which personality traits are associated with cognitions related to problematic Internet

use? Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 17, 206-218. doi: 10.1111/ajsp.12056

Jelenchick, L. A., Eickhoff, J., Christakis, D. A., Brown, R. L., Zhang, C., Benson, M., & Moreno, M. A. (2014). The

Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) for adolescents and young adults: Scale

development and refinement. Computers in Human Behavior, 35, 171-178. doi:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.035
References (cont.)
We are Social, Kemp, S. (2019). Digital in 2019, essential insights into internet, social media, mobile, and ecommerce use

around the world. Retrieved April 15, 2019 from https://digitalreport.wearesocial.com

Liga, F., Bruno, A., Formica, I., Faraci, P., Craparo, G., Messina, R., & Severino, S. (2013). Internet Addiction Test (IAT):

Which is the best factorial solution? Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(10). Doi: 10.2196/jmir.2935

Tsiolka, E., Bergiannaki, I. D., Margariti, M., Malliori, M., Papageorgiu, C. (2017). Dysfunctional Internet behavior symptoms

in association with personality traits. Psychiatriki, 28(3), 211-218. doi: 10.22365/jpsych.2017.283.211

 (Alrobai & Dogan, 2015)
Any questions?