Oberst, Ursula E.

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

Revista de Psicologia, Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport
ISSN: 1138-3194
Copyright © 2018
www.revistaaloma.net
2018, 36(1), 09-10
From technological addiction to benefit, 
well-being, and health
Ursula Oberst
Editor-in-chief
Ever since 1998 when Kimberley Young 
 published her seminal paper entitled “Internet 
Addiction: the emergence of a new clinical dis-
order”, addiction to the Internet, videogames, 
mobile phones (later smartphones), and even to 
internet-based communication applications and 
social networks (like WhatsApp and Facebook) 
has been a widely discussed phenomenon in the 
media and in scientific literature. The debate has 
even given rise to a new field of study in Psychol-
ogy: technological addictions, although  more 
conservative approaches take exception to the 
use of the term “addiction” in this context and 
prefer to talk of “problematic use” of informa-
tion and communication technologies (ICT). 
The existence of completely new “i-disorders” 
described in the scientific literature, with the use 
of terms like “nomophobia”, “rinxiety” and 
“Fomo”, has also been a source of controversy. 
Meanwhile, the detrimental effects of excessive 
ICT use on attention and learning have also 
caused concern.
In the Educational Sciences, the use of digital 
technologies has always had a more enthusiastic 
reception, because there is widespread apprecia-
tion in both homes and schools of the role these 
devices and applications can play in enhancing 
learning. However, critical voices have also 
emerged to call attention to the potential risks 
involved with the use of ICT; in any case, the 
massive inroads ICT has made in schools call for 
a significant change in pedagogy and a “second 
educational revolution” (Collins & Halverson, 
2010). 
Coupled with gradual changes in the use of 
these technologies and in related habits, there 
has recently been a shift in scientific attention 
to the issue. Researchers have moved away from 
the study of the risks and the negative impact 
of maladaptive use of these technologies, focus-
sing instead on their potential benefits, wheth-
er for the improvement or enhancement of 
physical, mental, and learning capacities, for the 
stimulation of psychological well-being or for 
the promotion of health. In clinical Psychology, 
for instance, Internet-based applications are be-
ing developed and used to improve well-being 
and to support clinical interventions. Mobile 
devices are now being used to collect commu-
nity and clinical health data, to deliver health-
care information to practitioners, researchers 
and patients, to monitor patients’ emotional and 
mental states, and to provide care, for instance 
in the form of therapeutic instructions or sug-
gestions. In Sports, so-called e-sports or cyber-
sports and fitness-oriented videogames are be-
coming increasingly popular among the 
younger generation, blurring the distinction 
between gaming and exercise (Witkowski, 
Hutchins, & Carter, 2013).
In view of these developments, the editors 
of Aloma are issuing a call for papers on the fol-
lowing topics:
FUTURE CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL INNOVA-
TION IN EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND 
SPORTS (December 2018 issue of Aloma).
•	 Aloma-Education: COMPUTER-SUPPORT-
ED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING. Comput-
er-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) 
is a pedagogical approach wherein learning 
takes place via social interaction using a 
computer or through the Internet. This kind 
of learning is characterized by the sharing 
and construction of knowledge among par-
ticipants using technology as their primary 
means of communication.
•	 Aloma-Psychology: THE ROLE OF e-
HEALTH and m-HEALTH IN MENTAL 
HEALTH. e-Health is a relatively recent 
healthcare practice supported by electronic 
processes and communication. It can include 
health applications and links on mobile 
devices, referred to as m-Health; new applica-
tions (apps) are constantly being developed 
and used, and this is increasingly the case in 
in the mental health context. However, this 
increase must be accompanied by research, 
as the existence of such a great number of 
01_Editorial_36(1)_7-10.indd   9 9/5/18   10:44
Ursula Oberst10 2018, 36(1)
applications might suggest that many of them are 
not properly validated and lack sufficient proven 
efficacy. 
•	 Aloma-Sports: e-SPORTS AS A NEW MASS PHE-
NOMENON. e-Sports (also known as electronic 
sports, competitive (video) gaming, professional 
(video) gaming, or pro gaming) is a form of com-
petition using video games. Despite its increasing 
popularity, little research has been done into what 
exactly individuals do and learn when they compete 
in non-educational or “unserious” computer games.
Deadline for submission: September 15th 2018
Language of papers: English or Spanish (manuscripts 
presented in Spanish for this issue will be translated 
into English at no cost to the authors)
References
Collins, A., & Halverson, R. (2010). The second educa-
tional revolution: Rethinking education in the age 
of technology. Journal of computer assisted learning, 
26(1), 18-27.
Witkowski, E., Hutchins, B., & Carter, M. (2013, Sept-
ember). E-sports on the rise?: Critical considerations 
on the growth and erosion of organized digital ga-
ming competitions. In Proceedings of The 9th Aus-
tralasian Conference on Interactive Entertainment: 
Matters of Life and Death (p. 43). ACM.
Young, K. S. (1998). Internet addiction: The emergen-
ce of a new clinical disorder. Cyberpsychology & Beha-
vior, 1(3), 237-244.
01_Editorial_36(1)_7-10.indd   10 9/5/18   10:44


From technological addiction to benefit, well-being, and health

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From technological addiction to benefit, well-being, and health

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