Cyberpsychology

Predicting undergraduates' self-reported engagement in traditional and cyberbullying from attitudes

by Julian Lloyd

Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Gambling in the cloud: the future of online gaming. World Online Gambling Law Report, 11(3), 4-5.

by Mark Griffiths

Cloud computing is transforming business infrastructure and the way information is accessed online. The potential for... more Cloud computing is transforming business infrastructure and the way information is accessed online. The potential for gambling in the cloud in 2012 is both a very real innovation and a grey area in regards to regulation. Dr. Mark Griffiths, Professor of Gambling Studies at Nottingham Trent University, examines the benefits of cloud computing for the online gaming industry and discusses the early movers, who have already established a cloud computing solution.

Kuss, D.J. & Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Social networking on the Internet: From pastime to excess and addiction. Mental Notes, in press.

by Mark Griffiths

The last decade has seen an exponential rise in the popularity of social networking sites (SNSs). Today, 80% of US... more The last decade has seen an exponential rise in the popularity of social networking sites (SNSs). Today, 80% of US Internet users dedicate 23% of their online time to social media, including social networking sites and weblogs (e.g., personal online diaries). Mobile use via smart phones is steadily increasing. One-third of SNS users access their site via their mobile phones and social networking is one of the most popular activities engaged in via these devices. Specific groups such as young adults and females appear to use SNSs regularly. Moreover, social networking sites offer a variety of different activities for the users over and above socializing. Users can download and share photos and videos, use personal message and email functions, and engage in gambling and gaming. Online SNSs clearly have many things to offer different people.

Kuss, D.J. & Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Online social networking and addiction - A review of the psychological literature. In S. Sussman (Ed.), Substance and behavioral addictions: Co-occurence and specificity (pp.117-141). Basel, Switzerland: MPDI.

by Mark Griffiths

Social  Networking  Sites  (SNSs)  are  virtual  communities  where  users  can  create   individual   public  ... more Social  Networking  Sites  (SNSs)  are  virtual  communities  where  users  can  create   individual   public   profiles,   interact   with   real-­life   friends,   and   meet   other   people   based   on   shared   interests.   They   are   seen   as   a   ‘global   consumer   phenomenon’   with   an   exponential   rise   in   usage   within   the   last   few   years.   Anecdotal   case   study   evidence   suggests   that   ‘addiction’  to  social  networks  on  the  Internet  may  be  a  potential  mental  health  problem  for   some   users.   However,   the   contemporary   scientific   literature   addressing   the   addictive   qualities   of   social   networks   on   the   Internet   is   scarce.   Therefore,   this   literature   review   is   intended   to   provide   empirical   and   conceptual   insight   into   the   emerging   phenomenon   of   addiction   to   SNSs   by:   (1)   outlining   SNS   usage   patterns,   (2)   examining   motivations   for   SNS   usage,   (3)   examining   personalities   of   SNS   users,   (4)   examining   negative   consequences  of  SNS  usage,  (5)  exploring  potential  SNS  addiction,  and  (6)  exploring  SNS   addiction  specificity  and  comorbidity.  The  findings  indicate  that  SNSs  are  predominantly   used  for  social  purposes,  mostly  related  to  the  maintenance  of  established  offline  networks.   Moreover,   extraverts   appear   to   use   social   networking   sites   for   social   enhancement,   whereas  introverts  use  it  for  social  compensation,  each  of  which  appears  to  be  related  to   greater   usage,   as   does   low   conscientiousness   and   high   narcissism.   Negative   correlates   of   SNS   usage   include   the   decrease   in   real   life   social   community   participation   and   academic   achievement,   as   well   as   relationship   problems,   each   of   which   may   be   indicative   of   potential  addiction.  

Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Facebook addiction: Concerns, criticisms and recommendations. Psychological Reports, 110, 2, 518-520.

by Mark Griffiths

This paper provides a brief critique of the Facebook addiction research field in relation to the Bergen Facebook... more This paper provides a brief critique of the Facebook addiction research field in relation to the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale developed by An- dreaessen and colleagues (2012). Just like the term “Internet addiction,” the term “Facebook addiction” may already be obsolete because there are many activities that a person can engage in on the Facebook website (e.g., messaging friends, play- ing games like Farmville, and gambling). What is needed is a new psychometric scale examining potential addiction to a particular online application (i.e., social networking) rather than activity on a particular website (i.e., Facebook).

Demetrovics Z, Urba ́n R, Nagygyo ̈rgy K, Farkas J, Griffiths MD, et al. (2012) The Development of the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ). PLoS ONE 7(5): e36417. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036417

by Mark Griffiths

Background: Online gaming has become increasingly popular. However, this has led to concerns that these games might... more Background: Online gaming has become increasingly popular. However, this has led to concerns that these games might induce serious problems and/or lead to dependence for a minority of players. Aim: The aim of this study was to uncover and operationalize the components of problematic online gaming.
Methods: A total of 3415 gamers (90% males; mean age 21 years), were recruited through online gaming websites. A combined method of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied. Latent profile analysis was applied to identify persons at-risk.
Results: EFA revealed a six-factor structure in the background of problematic online gaming that was also confirmed by a CFA. For the assessment of the identified six dimensions – preoccupation, overuse, immersion, social isolation, interpersonal conflicts, and withdrawal – the 18-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) proved to be exceedingly suitable. Based on the latent profile analysis, 3.4% of the gamer population was considered to be at high risk, while another 15.2% was moderately problematic.
Conclusions: The POGQ seems to be an adequate measurement tool for the differentiated assessment of gaming related problems on six subscales.

Do Not Let Facebook Fool You

by Vira Ivanova

Link to the article: http://mediazori.com/2012/05/do-not-let-facebook-fool-you/#more-1094

It is not the first time that psychologist mention Facebook as a reason for low self-esteem among users. Some... more It is not the first time that psychologist mention Facebook as a reason for low self-esteem among users. Some researches state that women who spend a lot of time on social networking sites tend to think less of themselves. Others point out that users of both genders might feel less attractive and successful after checking updates from their Facebook friends. Psychological effect responsible for such a negative outcome is an attribution error called correspondence bias.

Comparison of Human Anxiety Based on Different Cultural Backgrounds

by Santosh Kalwar

This work conceptualizes human behavior on the Internet. The study was conducted with 10 university participants... more This work conceptualizes human behavior on the Internet. The study was conducted with 10 university participants representing two different cultural backgrounds, Asian and Western. The participants were asked to visit any Web page on the Internet for 15 minutes, for 30 minutes, and for 1 hour. The results showed that participants displayed no signs of anxiousness during the 15-minute task and very little anxiousness during the 30-minute task. Western participants showed overall more anxiousness than Asian participants. However, all participants showed anxiousness during the 1-hour task. Data on comparative human anxiety were collected on the basis of a literature review of social fun, online belonging, and community on the Internet. Only the limited set of data of the participant is discussed in this article.

Call For Papers: Folklore and Literature Journal Special Issue: Cyber Culture

by Z.Nilüfer Nahya

"ІНТЕРНЕТ ЗАЛЕЖНІСТЬ: РЕАЛЬНА ЗАГРОЗА ЧИ ПЕРЕБІЛЬШЕННЯ? " Віра Іванова (Ukrainian)

by Vira Ivanova

Збірник аналітичних доповідей

ІНФОРМАЦІЙНІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ЯК ФАКТОР
СУСПІЛЬНИХ ПЕРЕТВОРЕНЬ В УКРАЇНІ

НАЦІОНАЛЬНИЙ ІНСТИТУТ СТРАТЕГІЧНИХ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ

Часто користувачі, їх близькі люди, представники преси та на-
віть психологи мають досить розмите розуміння... more Часто користувачі, їх близькі люди, представники преси та на-
віть психологи мають досить розмите розуміння того, чим є інтернет-
залежність. Метою даної публікації є донесення поглядів провідних
дослідників мережі на те, чим є найновіший вид узалежнення. Напри-
кінці тексту читач знайде стислий опис загрозливих тенденцій при ви-
користанні Інтернету в Україні та Польщі.

The Contribution of Facebook to the 2011 Tunisian Revolution: A Cyberpsychological Insight. (In press) Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

by Yousri Marzouki

Marzouki, Y., Skandrani-Marzouki, I., Béjaoui, M., Hammoudi H., & Bellaj, T. (2012)

The influence of Facebook in social life keeps growing constantly. Recently, the communication of information has been... more The influence of Facebook in social life keeps growing constantly. Recently, the communication of information has been vital to the success of the Tunisian revolution, and Facebook was its main “catalyst”. This study examines the key reasons that explain Facebook’s contribution to this historical event, as perceived by Tunisian Internet users. To do so, we launched this study five days after the fall of the regime using an online questionnaire in which participants (N = 333) first rated the importance of Facebook in the Tunisian revolution and then explained the reasons for their ratings. A cluster analysis based on the Euclidean distance between the most frequent words in the participants’ text corpus (6640 words), revealed three main clusters that we interpret as follows: 1: Facebook political function, 2: Facebook informational function, and 3: Facebook media platform function. It is likely that these factors reflect the dynamic of Tunisian cyberspace and the Tunisian Internet users’ collective consciousness during the revolution.

Griffiths, M.D. (1997). Glued to the screen: An investigation into information addiction in the UK and worldwide. London: Reuters.

by Mark Griffiths

Kuss, D.J. & Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Adolescent online gaming addiction. Education and Health, 30(1), 15-17.

by Mark Griffiths

For most adolescents, gaming is a pleasurable pastime activity. However, research suggests that excessive online... more For most adolescents, gaming is a pleasurable pastime activity. However, research suggests that excessive online gaming may in extreme cases lead to symptoms commonly experienced by substance addicts, namely salience, mood modification, craving, and tolerance (Kuss & Griffiths, 2012). Particularly excessive engagement with both online and offline games appears to lead to addiction in a small minority of players. Since video gaming is particularly appealing to children and adolescents, it appears reasonable to suggest that these groups may be particularly at risk (i.e., more vulnerable and susceptible) of developing gaming addiction. Furthermore, it has been argued that because of the 24/7 nature and almost mandatory excessive play required in playing online games (such as World of Warcraft and Everquest), online gaming may be more problematic for ‘at risk’ individuals than offline gaming (Griffiths, 2009).

Online gaming addiction: Classification, prediction and associated risk factors

by Thom Baguley

Online gaming addiction: classification, prediction and associated risk factorsby Zaheer Hussain | Papers by Zaheer
Hussain, Z., Griffiths, M.D. & Baguley, T. (2012). Addiction Research & Theory (in press).

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have gained increased popularity over the last decade.... more Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have gained increased popularity over the last decade. Despite the many positives of gaming, alleged problems relating to MMORPG playing have emerged, more specifically in relation to addiction to MMORPGs among a small minority of players. The present study set out to establish the prevalence of MMORPG addiction using validated addiction criteria. Factors relating to online gaming were examined to establish whether they were linked to MMORPG addiction. A self-selected sample of 1,420 gamers ranging in age from 12 years to 62 years (mean age 23 years) completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that 44.5% of gamers were classified as addicted according to the polythetic format and 3.6% were classified as addicted according to the monothetic format. Ordered logistic regression analysis showed that the variables years of gaming, total time spent playing online per week and employment status can have a major impact on the probability of MMORPG addiction. The implications of these findings for the assessment of MMORPG addiction are discussed.

Civil discourse in the age of social media

by Reynol Junco

About Campus, 15(4), 12-18, co-authored with Chickering, A.

For centuries, issues of civil discourse only arose concerning written and oral communication. but now, new... more For centuries, issues of civil discourse only arose concerning written and oral communication. but now, new technologies for communication and social interaction, particularly social media, have dramatically expanded the potential for human interaction. they generate significant challenges for institutional policies and practices to encourage and sustain civil discourse for the critical social and personal issues we and our students face. to address this challenge, we review emerging trends in social media, discuss problems that arise with their use, and provide recommendations for helping students use social media in civil and productive ways.

Temporal Dynamic Form in Music: Atonal, Tonal, and Other

by Joshua B. Mailman

Ph.D. Doctoral dissertation in Music Theory

http://www.joshuabanksmailman.com/dissertation/abstract/J.Mailman_Dynamic_Form_abstract.pdf

Cyberchondriasis: Fact or fiction? A preliminary examination of the relationship between health anxiety and searching for health information on the Internet

by Ben Meghreblian

Muse K, McManus F, Leung C, Meghreblian B, Williams JM - Journal of Anxiety Disorders

This study examined the relationship between health anxiety and searching for health information online, a phenomenon... more This study examined the relationship between health anxiety and searching for health information online, a phenomenon dubbed 'cyberchondria'. The majority of those with 'high' (n=46) and 'low' (n=36) levels of health anxiety reported seeking health information online. However, those with higher levels of health anxiety sought online health information more frequently, spent longer searching, and found searching more distressing and anxiety provoking. Furthermore, more responses in the high than low health anxiety group related to searching for information on diagnosed and undiagnosed medical conditions, descriptions of others' experiences of illnesses and using message boards/support groups, although the largest proportion of responses in both groups was accounted for by seeking information on symptoms. Linear regression (n=167) revealed significant relationships between health anxiety and the frequency, duration and distress and anxiety associated with searching for health information online. This preliminary data suggests that searching for health information online may exacerbate health anxiety.

Griffiths, M.D. (2012). Gambling, stigma, and the rise of online bingo. i-Gaming Business Affiliate, December/January, 34-35.

by Mark Griffiths

Perceptions and attitudes of what people think about gambling have often been dismissed by academics as being too... more Perceptions and attitudes of what people think about gambling have often been dismissed by academics as being too subjective to be of any value in generating a reliable knowledge base about its place within the leisure industry. However, perceptions of gambling may influence whether people play particular types of game in the first place. Many types of gambling such as sportsbetting, slot machines, and bingo are an established part of the British high street, but bingo appears to have significantly less stigma attached to it than most other forms of gambling. So what implications do people’s attitudes towards offline bingo have for online bingo operators and affiliates? This article briefly looks at some of the evidence and trends.

Griffiths, M.D. (2011). Si fa presto a dire internet addiction. Pediatria, 8, 8.

by Mark Griffiths

Uno dei massimi esperti mondiali sul tema avverte: guai a confondere con la dipendenza quello che è solo un eccesso... more Uno dei massimi esperti mondiali sul tema avverte: guai a confondere con la dipendenza quello che è solo un eccesso transitorio

Posting boring stuff too often? You’ll Soon be Unfriended

by Vira Ivanova

Short summary of the research paper "Unfriending on Facebook: Friend Request and Online/Offline Behavior Analysis " by Sibona, C. and Walczak, S.