Internet and Mobile Phone Addiction

Abstract

New technologies such as the Internet and Mobile Phones are designed to help us stay informed and communicate. Recent studies have suggested that these technologies are likely to affect behavior and behavioral control. Internet and Mobile Phones make it especially easy to communicate emotions and feelings, give us immediate social reinforcement and are permanently accessible. This seems to produce little in the way of real-life effects, but researchers claim there is a possibility of addictive behavior, with a special impact on teenagers and young adults. Seemingly, this effect is different in different cultures. People from Asian countries are more likely to be vulnerable to developing problematic use of the Internet and mobile phones. These considerations lead us to a concern about the risk factors involved in having an Internet or Mobile Phone addiction, how this sort of addiction might affect people, which relation exists between the two and how to diagnose such a condition.

Key Terms in this Chapter

Behavioral Addiction: Addiction related with and specific act or behavior characterized by the loose of control, psychological dependence, decreasing interest or loose of motivation for other pleasurable activities and severe interferences on the addicts life.

Addictive Disorders: Group of addictions which includes substance and behavioral addictions.

Overuse: Excessive and uncontrolled use.

Maladaptive Usage: Non normal use that causes negative social, familiar and professional interferences on the individual’s everyday life.

Information and Communication Technologies: Group of technologies that allow access to the information through telecommunications. Those include Internet, Cell Phones and other communication mediums.

Mobile Phone Addiction: Behavioral addiction related to the Mobile Phone usage.