Caplan defines Problematic Internet Use (PIU) as “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences” (2004). I believe most facets of the internet can lend itself to PIU. For this assignment I chose to look at online shopping as a PIU. Online shopping has boomed since its inception. Instead of taking a trip to a store such as Best Buy, you can go online to the website and order whatever you want. Once you are there, this website and many others; can offer you suggestions on what else you may like based on your choices, which can lead a user to begin PIU. Most clothing retail stores have an online version of their store, usually offering additional styles, colors, and sizes.
The anonymity, less social risk, and less social responsibility associated with online shopping make it a candidate for PIU. Someone I once worked with seemed to have a problem with online shopping. She admitted to opening up credit cards to use for her purchases, and usually did her online shopping while we were working – instead of doing the work we were assigned. In this situation she definitely “hurt” herself professionally, by not doing her actual job, as well as socially, many of the people we worked with noticed her shopping and browsing internet stores on and off throughout the day.
The Online Cognition Scale developed by Davis, Flett & Besser identify four dimensions of PIU, diminished impulse control, loneliness/depression, social comfort, and distraction/procrastination. Excessive online shopping can be brought on by any of these factors, especially a diminished impulse control. While you shop for something you may actually need online, it is so easy just to add extra items to your cart. People may convince themselves that they need something else as well, which can start a cycle of online buying. The other factors can also drive to PIU, shopping online out of depression can cater to those who don’t feel like leaving the house, and as a social comfort. I know many people who say they like to go shopping after a fight or a breakup, which can lend itself to doing so online excessively.
I believe shopping online for the most part, is a good thing. Items not readily available to you can be found on the internet, and there is a convenience associated with it. However, under the right individual conditions I believe online shopping can lead to an addiction, where academic, professional, social, and monetary consequences can be observed.
4 comments:
Hi Caslynn,
I really liked how you looked at online shopping. I find myself constantly looking at products at different online stores, most of which I don’t really have any intention of buying. When I first thought about online shopping, I didn’t really think that it could be related to PIU in terms of less social risk and responsibility, but your example of your coworker was really enlightening. I was especially struck by how the lowered social responsibility allowed her to justify opening up credit cards to fund her purchases. Furthermore, your look at the Online Cognition Scale and how diminished impulse control could affect shopping was really interesting. When I shop online I find myself “wanting” to buy lots of stuff, but at the last second think better of it, someone with this problem could easily end up buying a large amount of unnecessary things. Overall you had a really good post and did very well to show how PIU with internet shopping fits into the Online Cognition Scale.
Nice post! I liked how at the end of the paper you justified your reasoning for online shopping being a good thing but it can also lead to addiction and like any obsession, consequences are likely to follow. Also, I like how you mentioned how companies entice online shopping by providing additional and “extra” items, sizes, and styles not offered in stores. This a great point and I believe it’s what keeps people coming back for more and is just one of the many factors creating addictions. I think the anonymity aspect to online shopping plays a big role as people feel less pressure and social risk. The internet provides a so called “safe” place where people can go to fulfill needs that are not meet in a face to face setting and resort to the internet hoping for the internet to satisfy those unfulfilled comforts. In this particular case, or with any online addiction, personal motives and individual differences play a huge part in how deep into addiction some people fall. According to Davis, Flett, and Besser, the predictions for online use which are diminished impulse control, loneliness, social comfort, and distraction/procrastination could all affect and promote an online addiction. I have an aunt who got involved with online shopping because of her boredom and the internet provided her with something to do. She was also an avid buyer of items from TV programs selling jewelry and clothing and such. The internet is an endless space offering anything and everything you can think of which of course for some, shopping addictions develop and often times families, friends, and jobs are lost. Again, great job and well written.
Casylnn,
Nice job with this post. I really enjoy how you define all the terms and relate back to the text in your inital description of PIU. Your Best Buy example was very clear, and I understood where you were going with it which made connections a lot easier. Nice job!
Moreover, I enjoyed how you related this post to actual events in your life that you have experienced (that also coincide with this class). One suggestion: focus less on stories, and possibly connect to Canal a bit more.
Lastly, I found it great that you related the post to the Online Cognition Scale- other posts I read did not do this and it was great to see.
The example you provided here was also really good and well thought out.
Overall, nice post and I'm looking forward to reading more in the future.
Hey Caslynn,
Good post on impulsive online shopping and its ties to the theories we've been studying in class. Of course online shopping has become such a convenience in our world today, which makes it all the more malicious in terms of stealing our time. It's such a novel, yet classic in some ways, concept that continues to intrigue us and "mystify" us to a point beyond our own control. How sad is that of us as the targets of these kinds of environments?
It would've been nice to hear your analysis of what about these sites really make them so addictive. Is it a purely personal problem? Or can PIU be attributed to the source as well? How do these shopping sites cater to our compulsive wish to purchase as many things as we can and how do they grab our attention time after time?
Great analysis overall!
-Kristie
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