Effects of narcissism, leisure boredom, and gratifications sought on user-generated content among net-generation users

This research identifies the gratifications sought by the net-generation when producing user-generated content (UGC) on the internet. Members of the Net-generation want to vent negative feelings, show affection to their frieds and relatives, be involved in others' lives, and fulfill their need to be recognized. These gratifications were all found to be significantly associated with the users' various levels of participation in UGC (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, blogs, online forums, etc.) What's more, narcissism was predictive of content generation in social networking sites, blogs, and personal webpage, while leisure boredom was significantly linked to expressing views in forums, updating personal website, and participating in consumer reviews. In particular, the results showed the Net-geners who encountered leisure boredom had a higher tendency to seek interaction with friends online. Implications of findings are discussed. --Narcissism,leisure boredom,user-generated content,uses and gratifications

Multinational Web Uses and Gratifications: Measuring the Social Impact of Online Community Participation Across National Boundaries

This paper describes the rationale and findings from a multinational study of online uses and gratifications conducted in theUnited States,Korea, and theNetherlandsin spring 2003. Survey questions developed in three languages by native speaking researchers was presented to approximately 400 respondents in each country via the Web. Web uses and gratifications were analyzed cross-nationally in a comparative fashion focusing on involvement in different types of on-line communities. Findings indicate that demographic characteristics, cultural values, and Internet connection type emerged as critical factors that explain why the same technology is adopted differently

An Exploratory Study on Adolescents Experiences of Using ICQ (I Seek You)

Little research exists into adolescents rationales for using ICQ (I Seek You) and these adolescents relationships with their peers, families, and strangers in ICQ communication. Our curiosity about these subjects led us to adopt a qualitative inquiry, a multiple case study of ten adolescents via purposive sampling. Three major results were discerned: (1) rationales for using ICQ as a major communication tool and for its entertainment functions, (2) contents of ICQ included the participants school lives, peer relationships, family issues, and playing games, and (3) the participants relationships with their peers, family, and strangers like female adolescents are more protective than males. Finally, adolescents voices should be amplified in order to let adults respond to their contextual practices such as ICQ

Motivation of internet use: relation with pathological internet use, gender and internet activities

This study is aimed to examine the motivation of Internet use among university students in Malaysia. A total of 102 students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) answered the pencil-paper questionnaire. Result of descriptive analysis showed that 49.02% of students were identified as pathological Internet use (PIU). The predominant motivation of Internet use were information seeking and entertainment/escape. The inferential analysis using MANOVA indicated that students with PIU reported significantly higher scores of all motivation factors of Internet use than their non-PIU peers. Correlational test was used to examine the relationship between motivation of Internet use and Internet activities found that social recognition was significantly related to four Internet activities including social networking site (SNS), online game, shopping and browsing. Entertainment/escape was only related to SNS usage. The low coefficient of correlation between motivation and Internet activities implied the influence of potential variables

Media awareness in the age of new media: a case study of Primary 4 students in Hong Kong

This study examined media use and media awareness for Primary 4 students from four schools in Hong Kong (equivalent to Grade 4 in America) and how well their teachers understood their habits of and preferences for media use. The media awareness and media use patterns of students with regard to newspapers, television programmes, radio channels and the Internet were investigated. Results showed that, these students, despite being the new generation of the new media still believed that the news from television, radio and newspapers are more reliable. In addition, they were found to be more proactive media users than their teachers thought. They were more content-oriented in choosing a particular newspaper or TV channel instead of being influenced by their teachers and parents. The teachers were also not able to make very accurate predictions of their students' skills in media evaluation. The findings suggested that more contextual and in-depth approaches are needed to assess the students' media use patterns, from which relevant media education models can be derived.postprin

Medium for empowerment or a 'centre for everything': students’ experience of control in digital environments within a university context

In maximising opportunities to nurture rich and productive learning communities, there is a need to know more about the cultures and sub-cultures that surround virtual learning environments (VLEs). Drawing from a small-scale interview study of students’ digital practices, this paper explores how different discourses may have patterned a group of students’ experiences of VLEs. Unlike studies which have focused upon evaluations of specific projects or interventions, this study investigated their experience across their course. It explores the student identities they associated with digital environments and the power relationships which seemed to pattern how they positioned themselves (or felt positioned) as learners. Whilst none were intimidated by technical aspects, the student identities available to them seemed to vary, as did their perceptions of the student identities associated with university-sponsored digital environments. The analysis considers three aspects of their experience: how they related to the VLE itself, how they related to others through this, and the alternative communities they created to attempt to manage their engagement with the VLE. The paper concludes by arguing for further research which focuses on the broader student experience across courses in order to explore how university-based digital environments intersect with students’ identities as learners

An Internet-Based Intervention to Promote Alcohol-Related Attitudinal and Behavioral Change Among Adolescents: Protocol of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

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Internet-riippuvuus teini-ikäisillä : Mitä se on ja miten sitä voi mitata

The purpose of this dissertation is to increase understanding of the nature of Internet Addiction (IA) among adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years), focusing on what IA is and how it is measured. Particular emphasis is given to the measurement of IA, and different variables are considered in order to deepen understanding of its various aspects. Accordingly, five studies have been conducted. Study I examines various Internet uses and gratifications (U&G) among adolescent Internet users by developing a valid and reliable 27-item Internet gratification scale (N = 1,914); Study II investigates the role of adolescents’ demographic, technology accessibility, unwillingness to communicate attributes, and sought Internet U&Gs in predicting their tendency to experience IA (N = 1,914); Study III examines the effect of adolescent Internet users’ background characteristics (e.g., demographics, technology accessibility, unwillingness to communicate attributes) on predicting different Internet U&Gs and heavy Internet use among adolescents (N = 1,914); Study IV investigates the psychometric properties of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS), and the relationship between the CIUS and adolescent Internet users’ background characteristics (e.g., demographics, ICT accessibility and Problematic ICT use) (N = 2,369); and Study V focuses on the development and validation of WhatsApp (WA) addiction scales for adolescents (N = 405). Cross-sectional research and psychometric theory based analysis reveal the following findings. First, a valid and reliable Internet U&G instrument (27- item) addresses six dimensions of Internet U&G, namely information seeking, exposure, connecting, coordination, social influence, and entertainment (Study I). Second, the following are risk factors for adolescent IA: being male, lower academic performance, high daily time spent on Internet use, strict Internet parenting at home, higher approach avoidance and reward seeking, looking for more connecting, coordination and social influence seeking, and pursuing lower information seeking and exposure gratifications (Study II). Third, older females, adolescents with higher academic performance, higher reward seeking and lower daily Internet use content gratifications such as information seeking & exposure; male, adolescents seeking higher approach avoidance and reward seeking tend to seek higher social gratifications such as connecting & coordination; and higher approach avoidance and reward seeking tendencies predicted process gratifications such as social influence & entertainment (Study III). Fourth, the CIUS possesses good psychometric properties with fairly high reliability, homogeneity and validity. Male, older adolescents, those with lower academic performance, lower life satisfaction, active Internet use (including daily Internet use, excessive Internet use and overall Internet activity) and problematic Internet use significantly predicted compulsive Internet use among adolescents. The study confirmed the findings of Study II (Study IV). Fifth, three original IA scales were adjusted to access WhatsApp (WA) addiction among adolescents. The data showed that they were valid and reliable self-reporting instruments. In addition, a shorter version of each of the three adapted instruments and a 16-item unified scale were also developed and validated. All five studies (Studies I, II, III, IV, V) examined various perspectives on the conceptualization of IA with a strong focus on the measurement and development of valid and reliable instruments to measure IA To conclude, the results indicate that not all adolescents equally experience IA; rather, some are more vulnerable than others. The studies have clarified situations, attributes or behaviors that lead to IA among adolescents. Moreover, new Internet U&Gs have been identified to help to conceptualize IA. In addition, the developed and validated instruments (27-item Internet U&G, 14-item CIUS, 14-item WA addiction test, 8-item and 10-item compulsive WA use) will serve as handy tools for teachers, educational psychologists, and counsellors. By utilizing these instruments, one can easily screen compulsive Internet users from a normal population and provide vulnerable students with timely help and support. The present study confirms the findings of earlier IA literature available in the context of Internet users from a wider age group, and different cultural and demographic settings. The current studies are important, especially because the target user group is adolescent Internet users (aged 12 to 18 years) who have been overlooked in IA and Internet U&G literature. These findings also emphasize the importance of recognizing IA as a problem among adolescents, which many adolescents unknowingly are or become vulnerable to be in daily life settings. The findings are valuable in terms of education and research.Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli lisätä ymmärrystä siitä, mitä on Internet-riippuvuus (Internet Addiction, IA) 12 -18 -vuotiailla nuorilla. Keskiösssä oli käsitteen määrittely sekä IA-ilmiön mittaaminen. Erilaisia kriteerimuuttujia käytettiin myös, jotta ilmiötä voitaisiin ymmärtää erilaisista näkökulmista. Osatutkimuksessa I tarkasteltiin teini-ikäisten Internetin käyttöä ja siihen liittyvää mielihyvää (U&G) kehittämällä validi ja luotettava 27 kysymyksen ´Internet gratification scale' (N = 1 914). Osatutkimuksessa II tutkittiin nuorten demografisten tietojen, teknologian saatavuuden, kommunikaatiohalukkuuden sekä käytön ja siihen liittyvän mielihyvän ennustearvoa Internet-riippuvuuden kokemisen suhteen (N = 1914). Osatutkimuksessa III tutkittiin teini-ikäisten Internetin käyttäjien taustamuuttujien ennustearvoa (mm. demografiset tiedot, teknologian saatavuus, haluttomuus kommunikoida) suhteessa käyttöön, mielihyvään (U&G) and intensiiviseen Internetin käyttöön teini-ikäisillä (N = 1914). Osatutkimuksessa IV tarkasteltiin mittarin 'Compulsive Internet Use Scale' (CIUS) psykometrisiä ominaisuuksia sekä CIUSin yhteyttä teini-ikäisten Internetin käyttäjien taustamuuttujiin, teknologian saatavuuteen ja ongelmalliseen teknologian käyttöön (N = 2369). Osatutkimus V keskittyi 'WhatsApp (WA) addiction scales for adolescents' -mittarin kehittämiseen ja validointiin (N = 405). Analyysit perustuivat poikkileikkausasetelmaan ja psykometriseen teoriaan. Tulokset olivat seuraavat: Ensinnäkin havaittiin, että validi and reliaabeli Internet U&G instrument käsitti kuusi Internetin käytön ja mielihyvän ulottuuvuutta: informaation hakeminen, altistuminen, yhteydenpito, koordinointi, sosiaalinen vaikuttaminen ja viihde (Osatutkimus I). Toiseksi nuorten Internet-riippuvuutta ennustivat merkitsevästi seuraavat muuttujat: sukupuoli (pojat), heikompi akateeminen suoriutuminen Internetissä käytetyn ajan määrä, tiukka Internetin valvonta koton, korkea välttämiskäyttäytyminen, alhainen palkitsemishakuisuus, runsas yhteyden hakeminen muihin, koordinoivan toiminnan ja sosiaalisen vaikuttamisen tarve, vähäisempi informaation hakeminen sekä altistuminen Internetin tuottamalle mielihyvälle (Osatutkimus II). Kolmanneksi ikä, sukupuoli (tytöt), koulussa hyvin menestyminen, korkea palkitsemishakuisuus sekä vähäisempi Internetin päivittäinen käyttö ennustivat sisällöllistä mielihyvää kuten tiedon hakua ja tiedolle altistumista. Sen sijaan sukupuoli (pojat), korkeampi välttämiskäyttäytyminen ja alhaisempi palkitsemishakuisuus olivat yhteydessä sosiaalisen mielihyvän hakuun (kuten yhteydenpito ja koordinointi). Korkeampi välttämiskäyttäytyminen ja palkitsemishakuisuus ennustivat prosessiin kohdistuvaa mielihyvää kuten sosiaalista vaikuttamista ja viihdekäyttöä (Osatutkimus III). Neljänneksi CIUSin psykometriset ominaisuudet olivat hyvät ja reliabiliteetti vähintään kohtalainen, samoin kuin validiteetti ja homogeenisuus. Pojat, vanhemmat teini-ikäiset, akateemisesti heikommin suoriutuvat, elämäänsä vähemmän tyytyväiset, aktiiviset internetin käyttäjät sekä Internetin käytön ongelmalliseksi kokevat ilmaisivat useammin myös pakonomaista Internetin käyttöä (Osatutkimus IV). Tämä tutkimus myös vahvisti toisen osatutkimuksen tulokset. Osatutkimuksessa V kolme alkuperäistä pakonomaisen Internetin käyttöä koskevaa skaalaa (summamuuttujaa) muokattiin mittaamaan WhatsAppriippuvuutta (WA) nuorilla. Tämä osoittautui reliaabeliksi itsearvioinnin mittariksi. Lisäksi kehitettiin ja validoitiin16 kysymystä käsittävä lyhyempi versio jokaisesta kolmesta instrumentista. Kaikki viisi osatutkimusta (I, II, III, IV, V) tarkastelivat eri näkökulmia Internet-riippuvuuteen ja auttoivat käsitteellistämään sitä. Tutkimuksissa painottui vahvasti Internetriippuvuutta koskevien luotettavien mittareiden kehittäminen sekä tämän ilmiön mittaaminen. Johtopäätöksenä voidaan todeta että kaikki nuoret eivät altistu Internetriippuvuudelle samalla tavalla, vaan jotkut ovat sille muita alttiimpia. Nämä tutkimukset selvensivät tilanteita, piirteitä ja käyttäytymismalleja jotka voivat johtaa Internet-riippuvuuteen teini-iässä. Lisäksi uusia Internetin käyttöön ja se tuottamaan mielihyvään liityviä tekijöitä tuli esille ja ilmiötä voidaan nyt paremmin käsitteellistää. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa kehitetyt ja validoidut mittarit (27-kysymyksen Internet U&G, 14 kysymyksen CIUS, 14 kysymyksen WA addiction test, 8 kysymyksen ja 10 kysymyksen pakonomaisen Whatappin käyttämisen mittarit) voivat toimia kätevinä työvälineinä opettajille, koulupsykologeille ja opinto-ohjaajille. Näiden mittareiden avulla saadaan helposti selville, onko Internetin käyttö pakonomaista ja poikkeaako se normaalista populaatiosta. Tällä tavalla on mahdollistaa auttaa Internet-addiktiolle mahdollisesti altistuvia oppilaita. Tämä tutkimus vahvisti aikaisempia Internet-riippuvuuteen liittyviä tutkimuksia ja auttoin yleistämään niitä laajempiin ikäryhmiin sekä uusiin kulttuureihin ja konteksteihin. Tutkimus on tärkeä, koska kohderyhmä on sellainen, jota ei aiemmin juuri ole tutkittu. Tulokset myös painottavat Internet-riippuvuuden toteamista ja tunnistamista. Kyseessä on potentiaalinen ongelma, jolle lukuisat nuoret voivat altistua jokapäiväisessä elämässään. On myös huomattava, että suurin osa nuorista kokee mielihyvää Internetin käytöstä, mutta ei osoita addiktion oireita