Internet use, identity development and social anxiety among young adults
Internet use, identity development and social anxiety among young adults
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DOI：
10.1375/bech.21.2.90.55425
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发表时间：
2004-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.1
通讯作者：
Moore, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Mazalin, D;Moore, S
关于互联网对社会和个人福祉的好处，存在相互矛盾的证据，一些研究表明有害影响，另一些研究则可能使社会财富增加。由于“过度参与”在线活动而增加社会孤立的可能性，或者相反，互联网增强社会关系的可能性，在青年和青少年时期可能特别突出，因为同龄人群体在这一发展阶段特别重要。本研究调查了161名年龄在18至25岁之间的大龄青少年/年轻人的身份发展水平、互联网使用和社交焦虑之间的关系。结果表明，仅对男性而言，较高的社交焦虑水平和较不成熟的身份状态与更频繁的互联网使用相关，特别是在聊天室，个人使用的在线浏览和游戏中花费的时间。对于女性（在这个样本中，社交焦虑程度较低，身份发展程度较高，互联网用户较少），社交焦虑和身份地位与在线时间没有显着相关性。讨论集中在使用互联网在加强已经存在的社交焦虑方面的潜在作用，或者在支持和维持社交赤字水平较低的人的社交联系方面的潜在作用。
Contradictory evidence exists regarding the benefit of the Internet for social and personal wellbeing, with some studies indicating deleterious effects and others possible social enrichment. The potential for increased social isolation from 'over-involvement' in online activities or, conversely, the Internet's possibilities for enhancing social relationships, may be particularly salient during young adulthood and adolescence because of the special importance of the peer group during this developmental phase. This study was an investigation of the relationships between the levels of identity development, Internet use and social anxiety among a sample of 161 older adolescents/young adults aged between 18 and 25. Results indicated that, for males only, higher levels of social anxiety and less mature identity statuses were associated with more frequent Internet use, specifically time spent in chatrooms, online browsing for personal use, and games. For females (who were in this sample less socially anxious, more identity-developed, and lower users of the Internet than males), social anxiety and identity status were not significantly associated with time spent online. Discussion centred around the potential roles of Internet use in reinforcing already-existing social anxiety or, alternatively, in supporting and maintaining social contacts in those with lower levels of social deficit.