Psychology and the Internet (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Title page 4
Copyright page 5
Table of Contents 6
Contributors 14
Acknowledgments 16
Introduction 18
Contributors and Chapter Summaries 19
Intrapersonal Considerations 20
Interpersonal Perspectives 22
Transpersonal Aspects 25
Chapter 1: The Internet in Context 28
Introduction 28
Our Collective Love Affair with the New 29
Inventing the Self 30
Humans and Machines—An Ambivalent Relationship 32
The Ambivalence Deepens 34
And Now... The Internet 36
Take a Lesson from Radio 41
Studying the Net 47
Summary 49
References 50
Part I Intrapersonal 52
Chapter 2: Children and the Internet 54
Introduction 54
What are Children Doing on the Internet? 55
Concerns 57
Social Development 57
Unwanted Exposure to Pornography and Hate 60
Predation and Bullying 62
Becoming “Internet-Wise” 65
References 68
Chapter 3: Self Online: Personality and Demographic Implications 72
Introduction 72
New Ways of Thinking About Identity 73
One Self or Many: Adolescent Explorations 73
Self Expansion or Disinhibition Online 75
Personality Online 77
Introverts and Extroverts Online 78
Other Personality Types Online 79
The Self as a Demographic Online 81
Gender and Internet Use 81
Gender and Game Play 82
The Influence of Age, Ethnicity, Culture, and Poverty 84
Elderly 84
Socioeconomic Status and Culture 85
Ethnicity 86
Social Roles and Inequality Online 88
References 88
Chapter 4: Disinhibition and the Internet 92
Evidence for Disinhibition 93
Self-Disclosure and the Internet 93
Flaming and Anti-Social Behavior 96
Empirical Evidence for ‘Flaming’ 96
Disinhibition and the World Wide Web (WWW) 98
Internet Pornography 98
Formats of Pornography on the Internet 99
Explanations of Disinhibition on the Internet 101
Deindividuation 101
Reduced Social Cues 102
Two-Component Self-Awareness Model 103
Social Identity Explanation of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE) 104
Multi-Factor Explanations and Disinhibition 105
A Privacy-Based Approach to Understanding Disinhibition 105
Conclusions 106
References 107
Chapter 5: The Psychology of Sex: A Mirror from the Internet 110
General Trends 110
Sexuality on the Internet: Roots and Controversies 111
The Influence of Sexuality on New Communications Media 113
The Meanings of Sexuality for Human Beings: A Chaotic Systems Approach 117
Religious and Cultural Influences 124
New Insights from the Science of Sexology 125
Sexual Expression and Information on the Internet 130
Usenet Newsgroups and the Psychology of Sex 131
The Sexual Diversity of the World Wide Web 139
Political, Personal, and Community Aspects of Sex on the Internet 144
Meeting Potential Partners at Online Dating Sites 145
Blogging: Sexual Empowerment via Online Conversations 148
Conclusion 150
References 151
Chapter 6: Internet Addiction: Does It Really Exist? (Revisited) 158
Comparison Survey Studies of Internet Addiction and Excessive Internet Use 159
Survey Studies of Internet Addiction in Vulnerable Groups (i.e., Students) 161
Psychometric Studies of Internet Addiction 163
Internet Addiction, Comorbidity, and Relationship to Other Behaviors 167
Internet Addiction Case Studies 170
Why Does Excessive Internet Use Occur? 174
Concluding Remarks 177
References 178
Part II Interpersonal 182
Chapter 7: Revisiting Computer–Mediated Communication for Work, Community, and Learning 184
Introduction 184
Revisiting CMC and Internet Debates 185
Unbundling Users and Their Online Activities 188
Users of CMC and the Internet 189
Online Content and Usefulness 191
Groups, Networks, and Communities 191
Social Networks 192
Tie-Based View of Media Use 193
Online and Offline Integration 194
Toggling 194
Domestication 195
Limits to Growth 195
Wrapping Up 196
References 197
Chapter 8: The Virtual Society: Its Driving Forces, Arrangements, Practices, and Implications 204
Introduction 204
Driving Forces 206
Global Economies 206
Policies and Politics 208
Enlightened and Diversified Population 209
Information Technology Infrastructure 211
Existing Arrangements and Practices 214
Telework 214
Virtual Teams 216
Concepts of Time and Place 218
Virtual Team Technologies 219
Virtual Organizations 221
Virtual Communities 223
Teledemocracy 224
Virtual Museums 227
Weblogs 228
Dilemmas and Implications of the Virtual Society 229
Global Policy and Economics 229
Politics and Policy 229
Enlightened and Diversified Population 230
Information Technology and IT Infrastructure 232
Summary and Conclusion 232
References 233
Chapter 9: Internet Self-Help and Support Groups: The Pros and Cons of Text-Based Mutual Aid 238
Introduction 238
The Psychology of Text–Based Relationships 240
Self-Help as Mutual-Aid 243
Text-Based Mutual-Aid 245
Results of a Replication Survey 251
Pros and Cons of Internet Self-Help Groups 252
Advantages That Online Self-Help Groups Share with F2F Groups 252
Advantages Unique to Online Self-Help Groups 253
Disadvantages That Online Self-Help Groups Share with F2F Groups 253
Disadvantages Unique to the Online Self-Help Groups 253
Internet Support Groups and Text–Based Group Therapy 254
Ethical Considerations in Researching Text–Based Mutual Aid 256
Conclusion 257
References 259
Chapter 10: Cyber Shrinks: Expanding the Paradigm 262
Introduction 262
Professional Issues Online 263
Expanding the Paradigm (WIIFM? PX!) 263
Overview of Research 264
From Research to Professional Practice 264
The Online–Offline Connection 266
Cybersex and the Potential for Harm 268
Risk Management in Cyberspace 270
Legal and Ethical Concerns 270
Professional Liability 271
Competency and Scope of Practice 272
Emerging Clinical Issues 275
Theory in Cyberspace 275
Efficacy of Online Treatment 278
Expanding the Clinical Paradigm [:-C, :-W, (:: () ::)] 281
References 286
Part III Transpersonal 292
Chapter 11: From Mediated Environments to the Development of Consciousness II 294
Introduction 294
Presence 295
Veridicality 298
Continuity 298
Ecological Perception 299
Gibson’s Theory 300
Ecological Self 302
Natural versus Mediated Environment 304
Media as Ecological Environment 305
Pictures 307
Media and Movement 309
Orientation and Space 310
Orientation 310
POV and Perceptual Flow 311
Space and Consciousness 313
References 321
Chapter 12: World Wide Brain: Self-Organizing Internet Intelligence as the Actualization of the Collective Unconscious 326
Introduction 326
The Future History of the Net 327
Mind as a Complex System 328
The Collective Unconscious Concretized 329
AI and the Internet 330
Symbiotic Internet Intelligence in Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives 334
The Global Brain Study Group 336
The Global Brain and Human Progress 342
Web Spirituality 345
Self and Morality in the World Wide Brain 348
References 351
Chapter 13: The Internet and Higher States of Consciousness-A Transpersonal Perspective 354
Introduction 354
Other Approaches to Consciousness 356
Human Consciousness and Its Development 356
Integrative Program of Research into Developing Higher States of Consciousness 358
Physiological and Psychological Markers of HSC 361
Technology and Cognition 362
The Internet as a Cultural Amplifier—VR and Lucid Dreaming 365
Previous Research into Video Game Play, Consciousness, and Dreams 366
The Coevolution of Technology and Consciousness 371
References 374
Index 378