Although i use the computer frequently, i do not consider myself to be particularly computer savvy, therefore am not familiar with computer-based multi-player video games, or virtual spaces such as second life. The only information i knew about second life was that Dwight from The Office is an avid member. My experience was not nearly as scary as i had anticipated. I understand there is a way to individually design every aspect of your avatar, but obviously i could not figure out how to do that, so i picked the "city chic" avatar. I was a tall and thin with hip clothing and dark hair. Once i had gotten my avatar up and running, I had trouble with the logistics of the game, like manipulating my avatar to move and communicate how i wanted. I was put on the balcony of some kind of castle, and the computer set me up with several tasks to complete to make sure i had could control of my avatar. I couldn't figure out how to successfully complete the tasks, so i ignored them, and just traveled about curiously. After interacting with several other individuals and exploring the island i was on, I came to several of the same conclusions as Yee and Bailerson.
Yee and Bailerson looked at how interpersonal distance and self-disclosure affected social interaction in their first experiment. They discovered that indeed, in terms of interpersonal distance, those who were more attractive tended to walk closer to the individuals they interacted with. Essentially, level of attractiveness was directly related to the distance between individuals while they communicated. Since i couldn't figure out how to design my avatar, fortunately, all of the pre-made avatars were fairly attractive. According to Yee and Bailerson "Self-representation has a significant and instantaneous impact on our behavior."(2007) I did notice that because i felt virtually attractive, i was not afraid to express my confidence in the ways that Yee and Bailerson described- specifically minimalizing the distance between myself and whoever i interacted with, particularly if they were male. (why not, it's not real life!)
In terms of self-disclosure, my interaction with others was mostly superficial and concentrated on the workings of the game. Since this was an assignment and not something i would have done voluntarily, I was not actually interested in meeting people and making memories. Because of this, i feel i was not as inclined to disclose information, even though i felt virtually attractive, which could explain why my interaction did not align with what Yee and Bailerson would have predicted.
Yee and Bailerson also evaluated the effect height has over negotiation behavior, and they concluded that height does affect negotiation behavior, but their prediction describes the affects being ones that are only seen over time. My experiences did not really include any negotiating, so i am not able to agree or disagree with Yee and Bailerson concerning negotiating behavior.
Yee and Bailerson high-light behavioral confirmation as being extremely influential throughout their study. I found that the way people considered me affected how i, in turn, interacted with them, so my experiences do align with Yee and Bailerson's evaluations of behavioral confirmation.
Overall, i found my interactions to match up with the conclusions Yee and Bailerson made.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
assignment 9
One example of Problematic internet usage is gaming addiction. The online space that this most often falls under is the MMOG space, though addiction to online gambling is also highly prevalent. The very design of most popular MMOG's is intended to cause players to become increasingly involved in the game they are playing. Players tend to commit increasingly greater amounts of time to games such as World of Warcraft the longer they continue playing. A major factor in why MMOG's develop addictions among players is the nature of rewards in the game. In order for people to continue enjoying and being entertained by MMOG's, it is necessary that there be a constant stream of tangible rewards. Many games have systems for completing quests and other tasks that allow a person instant gratification upon accomplishing a task. It is a very idealized and unrealistic rewards system. In real life, not everything you do is met with a reward or praise. This type of instant gratification makes people more likely to increase their playtime while neglecting their real world responsibilities. The absence of an in game clock, as simple as it sounds, makes it so players lose track of time more easily and end up putting in far longer hours than they at first planned. The subscription nature of most MMOG's also means that players pay monthly in order to play. With the monthly fee comes great technical support and lots of additional content. In order to get the greatest advantage and experience all the additional content you are paying for, a player has to play a lot more than was first intended or expected. MMOG's require a growing investment of one's time as one continues playing. This online space's tendencies toward Problematic Internet Use coincide with Caplan's model in that the MMOG space is found to be less threatening than other online spaces and certain ftf interactions. Those with low social competence will find MMOG's to be a place in which good social standing can be achieved more easily with the help of one's skill as a player. In this way it is clear that MMOG's exhibit a number of factors that contribute to their success and widespread appeal. These same beneficial factors are also some of the main reasons why these games are so easy to get addicted to.
Eric
Eric
PIU: obsessive video watching
A google search for "obsessive youtubing" turned up 646 different results. But it's not just youtube. Now there's, metacafe.com, digg.com, abc.com, nbc.com, break.com, and current.com and all contribute to this behavior. The Internet is becoming our new TV and choice of media for receiving information and entertainment. Willvideoforfood.com is an actual website made by a self-proclaimed viral video genius! Indeed, viral video marketing is a smart move on the part of companies who want to reach our generation. The Harvard Business Journal published an article in March 2007 on the implications of businesses moving towards this type of marketing. (http://www.willvideoforfood.com)
This PIU (problematic internet use) is a fairly new and uncommon. However, after beginning my job as a campus rep for current.com, I realized the impact of online video watching on my own social circle. I have friends who are obsessed with learning through videos, otherswho insists on watching their favorite shows online, and others who spend obsurd amounts of time searching for funny videos. If it hasn't been labeled a PIU already, it will be eventually. Obsessive video watching is a problematic behavior related to too much time online when people choose it over real life interaction. These entertaining videos become a replacement for socializing in face to face. People would give up ftf to watch a video of strangers teach them something, perform a song or dance, videoblog about their daily life, or execute a funny prank.
Perhaps a lack of ftf social life is a contributing factor to logging online to watch videos. Those individuals who have nothing else to do log online to find entertainment; those who have no social circle to ask for help, advice, or news log online to find this information. Once they find this "solution," these people no longer need anything else except the endless search for new videos. Caplan suggests these obsessive video watchers have existing psychosocial problems. These problems lead to a feeling of low social competence and therefore, a preference for online interaction over ftf interaction. This preference eventually leads to obsessive Internet use. This obsession means users will never learn better social skills and so worsen their psychosocial problems.
This is especially a problem for obsessive video watchers because it has a unique property. Unlike computer mediated communication like instant messaging or facebooking which involve interaction, video watching is one way. This means the obsessed watcher is not exercising any social skills, even in the online form. The person is simply observing the work of someone else and not contributing in any way. Compared to other PIUs like gaming, video watching has the largest risk for worsening one's real life problems.
On a side note, in my research, I came across this article on a couple who was charged with child neglect because of obsessive Internet use. The child was severely malnourished. This is PIU at it's very worst.
http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=126618
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This PIU (problematic internet use) is a fairly new and uncommon. However, after beginning my job as a campus rep for current.com, I realized the impact of online video watching on my own social circle. I have friends who are obsessed with learning through videos, otherswho insists on watching their favorite shows online, and others who spend obsurd amounts of time searching for funny videos. If it hasn't been labeled a PIU already, it will be eventually. Obsessive video watching is a problematic behavior related to too much time online when people choose it over real life interaction. These entertaining videos become a replacement for socializing in face to face. People would give up ftf to watch a video of strangers teach them something, perform a song or dance, videoblog about their daily life, or execute a funny prank.
Perhaps a lack of ftf social life is a contributing factor to logging online to watch videos. Those individuals who have nothing else to do log online to find entertainment; those who have no social circle to ask for help, advice, or news log online to find this information. Once they find this "solution," these people no longer need anything else except the endless search for new videos. Caplan suggests these obsessive video watchers have existing psychosocial problems. These problems lead to a feeling of low social competence and therefore, a preference for online interaction over ftf interaction. This preference eventually leads to obsessive Internet use. This obsession means users will never learn better social skills and so worsen their psychosocial problems.
This is especially a problem for obsessive video watchers because it has a unique property. Unlike computer mediated communication like instant messaging or facebooking which involve interaction, video watching is one way. This means the obsessed watcher is not exercising any social skills, even in the online form. The person is simply observing the work of someone else and not contributing in any way. Compared to other PIUs like gaming, video watching has the largest risk for worsening one's real life problems.
On a side note, in my research, I came across this article on a couple who was charged with child neglect because of obsessive Internet use. The child was severely malnourished. This is PIU at it's very worst.
http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=126618
comments:
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Assignment 9 - Forums
An example of an internet related addiction most people, but not all, may have encountered is the online forum space. Forums exist for all types of topics ranging from drug addition, to jet skiing to home theater; there is a space for everything. What is interesting about these forums is that they are an asynchronous way to have a long term conversation with a large number of people. Topics are generally started by one user and many other users will chime in and respond. Generally there are also a few “lead” forums users to direct many topics. This type of conversation network can consume large portions of users time that can eventually lead into Problematic Internet Use. I believe forum use may lead to PIU because of Wallace’s “Operant Conditioning” and “Maintenance of Virtual Spaces” factors. When using a forum, you receive a certain amount of satisfaction when someone responds to your post, or when you read an interesting one. I feel that this prolongs the use of the forum over time. For the virtual space, forums allow a user to create a certain personality and the ability to use this personality in their virtual world or forum. The ability to delve into this world may prove addicting for some.
The concept of the internet forum can also be viewed under Caplans model. People who have low social competency stemming from either depression or especially loneliness may flock to forums because they offer a low pressure and anonymous situation in which to discuss a topic. They may then begin to use forums as their medium of choice for communication resulting in less productivity at work and in other social situations. However, in order for this cycle to be achieved, I think one must be predisposed to depression and loneliness or else a forum may likely just be another regular social outlet. Forums are particularly notable because they offer a very anonymous situation in which to intimately discuss topics which may be hard to talk about (drugs, etc.) in another setting. Since forums are also asynchronous, they allow members to create more thoughtful and detailed responses than in synchronous chat. This may offer a more emotional and gripping response to forums.
Assignment 9 - Instant Messaging
As college students, I feel we are familiar with many forms of problematic internet usage (PIU). If it is to be defined as internet usage that negatively affects our academic, professional, and social lives, then I’m sure we can find an instance where surfing the web has caused us to turn a paper in late or say something online to a friend that we later regretted. The online activity that I think is most abused (except for possibly Facebook) is instant messaging.
As discussed in class, instant messaging lends itself to problematic usage due to its inherent nature. The ability to carry on dozens of conversation at once if you desire is not necessarily good. It is almost impossible to maintain that many simultaneous active conversations. This could result in people thinking you are ignoring them if you are really just switching between many conversations or simultaneously surfing the web. The bigger concern; however, is that time spent on AIM will take away from time you should be spending in a face to face social situations or working on academic assignments. It has been my experience that the most common way of using AIM to procrastinate work involves talking to others who have the same homework assignment and using others procrastination as an acceptable excuse for putting off one’s own work.
Wallace’s four factors of PIU seem to apply here. For locus of control, AIM’s many features allow the user to control almost every part of their experience, as well as put up an away message, convincing them that they can truly step away at any time. For operant conditioning, AIM rewards its users with a new experience every time they sign on, as different users are online at different times, meaning you never know when you may be missing a great conversation with an old friend or that girl from class. This keeps you not only signing back on, but also leaving your profile up when you are away, in order to maintain your virtual presence. Finally, as with any online activity, new users are quickly assimilated into the language of instant messaging. They learn shorthand as well as the etiquette of properly using an away message so as to fit in with everyone else online.
Instant messaging presents an interesting question for Caplan’s model. It would appear that for some AIM users, instant messaging is indeed their preferred method of interaction and may lead to excessive and compulsive internet usage. Unlike Caplan’s model; however, most AIM users use instant messaging as a communicative extension of their already existing face to face social network. In this case I think many users may compulsively use instant messaging in a problematic manner, but it may not be due to their preference for it as less threatening and more efficacious medium or negative perceptions about their social competence. While this may be the case for some people, it does not seem to be the trend.
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Assignment 9, The most disgusting thing in the world
PIU – Problematic Internet Use. Who thought that checking up on your children via Internet can lead to anything problematic? Well, it can. Especially if you use online deception by becoming someone else (discussed by Hancock). I read an article about two years ago with th following story:
A 50+-year-old concerned (married) father initially felt his son was engaging in PIU by spending too much time in yahoo! chat rooms and talking to friends on AIM based on seeing an academic plunge in his 15-year-old sons report card and catching his son one day talking in a yahoo! chat room while he should have doing homework. This gave this man motivation to actually become his son to see how chatrooms are so time consuming so that way he can “give [his] son the proper advice because [he] didn’t want to be too pushy by banning his sons internet use since [his son] did need to use the internet for schoolwork.” He didn’t tell his son about his upcoming stalking mission but I’m assuming that his son eventually found out. At first, he could only go to the chatrooms that his son went to and BS for sometime. The unique affordance of the space was that this room was a room for people interested in Dance Dance Revolution. It wasn’t clear whether or not he was a DDR fanatic but he did know enough to spark and maintain conversation. He owned his own consulting company and did the majority of his work from home so he had some free time during the day to stalk. After stalking for a number of weeks, the 50+-year-old man met a 14-year-old that he (or should I say his son) began to build some sort of a relationship with. He somehow also managed to get his sons AIM password and begun speaking with this girl consistently. For a while, he was speaking as the son but later admitted that it was him the whole time speaking to her. For some reason, they girl continued to speak with the man. Long story short, he took a few trips out to visit her and eventually was caught having sex with her by this girls parents, they called the cops and he is currently serving 10 years in prison for having sex with a minor. The funny part about it is that if he had time to speak with a girl as his son, which meant that the son was not on AIM at that time and he had achieved his goal of keeping his son off the Internet.
I guess the effects of the online psychological space and his own psychosocial “discrepancies” took over. Due to the Locus of Control that this man had, he likely felt that it would be no harm to be deceptive because I guess he can always throw the blame on his son if he went out of line. Referring to the Social Comfort rationale presented by Davis, Flett and Besser, he must have felt safe and peaceful being in this chatroom. However, he should have had someone else “accept him for who he is.” I never was educated on the specifics of the online conversations but did hear that they were pretty “to the point” in the sense that he hinted at having sex with this girl a number of times. In regards to loneliness/depression, it was found out that he and his wife were going through what I’ll call a “time of trial” where they fought consistently and it seemed that they only wanted to stay together for their son. His wife had a full time job so the only time they would see each other would be during the evening and since they did not sleep together, I could estimate that they saw each other for a total of 2.5 hours a day. Tying in with the Caplan study, the rocky relationship likely was leading him down a path of depression and loneliness and the depression and loneliness exponentiated his PIU and resulted in doing something that I consider “the most disgusting thing in the world.” He’s a consultant so I would think he would be busy enough to not have so much time to chat on the Internet. Maybe he wanted to temporarily forget about things that he had to do but didn’t want to but the bigger issue is that his psychosocial took over and he was too weak-minded to cut off communication with the girl and he got busted. Too bad.
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A 50+-year-old concerned (married) father initially felt his son was engaging in PIU by spending too much time in yahoo! chat rooms and talking to friends on AIM based on seeing an academic plunge in his 15-year-old sons report card and catching his son one day talking in a yahoo! chat room while he should have doing homework. This gave this man motivation to actually become his son to see how chatrooms are so time consuming so that way he can “give [his] son the proper advice because [he] didn’t want to be too pushy by banning his sons internet use since [his son] did need to use the internet for schoolwork.” He didn’t tell his son about his upcoming stalking mission but I’m assuming that his son eventually found out. At first, he could only go to the chatrooms that his son went to and BS for sometime. The unique affordance of the space was that this room was a room for people interested in Dance Dance Revolution. It wasn’t clear whether or not he was a DDR fanatic but he did know enough to spark and maintain conversation. He owned his own consulting company and did the majority of his work from home so he had some free time during the day to stalk. After stalking for a number of weeks, the 50+-year-old man met a 14-year-old that he (or should I say his son) began to build some sort of a relationship with. He somehow also managed to get his sons AIM password and begun speaking with this girl consistently. For a while, he was speaking as the son but later admitted that it was him the whole time speaking to her. For some reason, they girl continued to speak with the man. Long story short, he took a few trips out to visit her and eventually was caught having sex with her by this girls parents, they called the cops and he is currently serving 10 years in prison for having sex with a minor. The funny part about it is that if he had time to speak with a girl as his son, which meant that the son was not on AIM at that time and he had achieved his goal of keeping his son off the Internet.
I guess the effects of the online psychological space and his own psychosocial “discrepancies” took over. Due to the Locus of Control that this man had, he likely felt that it would be no harm to be deceptive because I guess he can always throw the blame on his son if he went out of line. Referring to the Social Comfort rationale presented by Davis, Flett and Besser, he must have felt safe and peaceful being in this chatroom. However, he should have had someone else “accept him for who he is.” I never was educated on the specifics of the online conversations but did hear that they were pretty “to the point” in the sense that he hinted at having sex with this girl a number of times. In regards to loneliness/depression, it was found out that he and his wife were going through what I’ll call a “time of trial” where they fought consistently and it seemed that they only wanted to stay together for their son. His wife had a full time job so the only time they would see each other would be during the evening and since they did not sleep together, I could estimate that they saw each other for a total of 2.5 hours a day. Tying in with the Caplan study, the rocky relationship likely was leading him down a path of depression and loneliness and the depression and loneliness exponentiated his PIU and resulted in doing something that I consider “the most disgusting thing in the world.” He’s a consultant so I would think he would be busy enough to not have so much time to chat on the Internet. Maybe he wanted to temporarily forget about things that he had to do but didn’t want to but the bigger issue is that his psychosocial took over and he was too weak-minded to cut off communication with the girl and he got busted. Too bad.
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Assignment #9
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.
Assignment 9: Massively Multiplayer Gaming
An online activity that is especially prone to addiction is massively multiplayer gaming. Players can spend hundreds of hours in a single game while developing social relations within the game’s world. The all-time largest Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) is World of Warcraft, with over 9 million subscribers. Reports frequently go through the media of people losing jobs or dropping out of school due to excessive playing of the game. The most extreme cases of addiction are the handful of deaths from marathon gaming sessions (particularly in China where the government has actively attempted to curb game addiction.) The dominant game prior to WoW was Everquest, which despite having a much smaller user-base earned the moniker “EverCrack.” Massively multiplayer gaming addiction can clearly lead to problematic internet use where a player’s can face serious consequences in their real life.
There are a myriad of reasons why MMORPGs seem to be frequently result in PIU. The nature of the games is such that extensive time must be spent to advance your characters. An offline role-playing video game might take between 30 and 60 hours to finish, even the largest don’t extend much past 100 hours before you start repeating content that you’ve already completed. MMORPGs, on the other hand, easily require many hundreds of hours to reach the maximum level, and then the game becomes about working with a team and improving your playing style. Essentially, a player never really “completes” a MMORPG. There is also a degree of commitment that players feel once they’ve devoted time to a character. It becomes easy to continue playing since if they already spent x amount of time, they might as well spend a little more.
The social factors of Caplan’s theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being definitely applies to MMORPGs. Within the game, players can interact with each other and usually form connections through Guilds. In Caplan’s theory, individuals with psychosocial problems “prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious.” In an MMORPG, a player can be socially awkward even as far as internet users go, but a player very skilled in the game will still easily make connections due to the focus on gameplay. As a result, players will feel significantly more socially successful in the game world, leading them to play more and more. The affordances of Internet Interaction discussed in Caplan’s model apply to MMORPGs. A player has an avatar that they can edit however they want (within the confines of the game) providing them anonymity and control of their self-presentation. They can portray themselves as their ideal, or in whatever fashion they’d like. There tends to be less self-disclosure in the game due to the game itself being the focus of interactions, but relationships in the game can become very intense due to the limited and specific interactions. The Guild becomes a player’s social group, and results the player being drawn ever deeper into their addiction.
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There are a myriad of reasons why MMORPGs seem to be frequently result in PIU. The nature of the games is such that extensive time must be spent to advance your characters. An offline role-playing video game might take between 30 and 60 hours to finish, even the largest don’t extend much past 100 hours before you start repeating content that you’ve already completed. MMORPGs, on the other hand, easily require many hundreds of hours to reach the maximum level, and then the game becomes about working with a team and improving your playing style. Essentially, a player never really “completes” a MMORPG. There is also a degree of commitment that players feel once they’ve devoted time to a character. It becomes easy to continue playing since if they already spent x amount of time, they might as well spend a little more.
The social factors of Caplan’s theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being definitely applies to MMORPGs. Within the game, players can interact with each other and usually form connections through Guilds. In Caplan’s theory, individuals with psychosocial problems “prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious.” In an MMORPG, a player can be socially awkward even as far as internet users go, but a player very skilled in the game will still easily make connections due to the focus on gameplay. As a result, players will feel significantly more socially successful in the game world, leading them to play more and more. The affordances of Internet Interaction discussed in Caplan’s model apply to MMORPGs. A player has an avatar that they can edit however they want (within the confines of the game) providing them anonymity and control of their self-presentation. They can portray themselves as their ideal, or in whatever fashion they’d like. There tends to be less self-disclosure in the game due to the game itself being the focus of interactions, but relationships in the game can become very intense due to the limited and specific interactions. The Guild becomes a player’s social group, and results the player being drawn ever deeper into their addiction.
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Assignment 9: WoW
Hi,
I choose to write my blog on an addiction that still grips many people today of all backgrounds. My title WOW stands for world of warcraft, a massive multiplayer online role playing game that many people consider themselves addicted to. Countless stories have been told on news channels and the interenet about obsessive players who have lost things in their life due to their addiction to the game. If this seems outrageous to you take a look at this site for recovering addicts, http://www.wowdetox.com/.
So what is so appealing about this game that people would rather play it than do activities in real life?
In addition, Caplan’s views on PIU also can be applied to WOW addiction and why it occurs. He states basically that people with psychosocial problems have negative perceptions of their social competence, and because of this prefer the less threatening online interaction. This in turn leads to excessive online interactions which reverts to worsening their real life problems. Many people who play WOW use it to forget some of their real life problems and blow off steam at first. Then they get sucked in and play compulsively ahead of doing other things like communicating with friends, doing school work, or real work. Then when these pressures build up again they resort to playing more WOW in order to escape the more threatening. This vicious cycle leads to the addiction you see. WOW can be a near perfect world for some people, with availability 24/7 and high customizability of your character. Every problem has simple solutions unlike the real world.
Assignment 9: Nude No More!!
Oh, the Internet woes of online shopping. How unfortunate it is that people waste hours upon hours viewing and refreshing pages while trying to decide whether or not to buy those adorable leather pumps or that new computer monitor at half-price. I tend to consider myself a little more in control as far as my online shopping urges go. My one weakness? The never-ending vortex of Threadless.com.
Threadless is an online store that began seven years ago as a haven for artists to come together and submit their designs to be printed on t-shirts. The Threadless culture is very apparent and pervasive. Threadless t-shirt owners have silent acknowledgements of each other as part of the online community, and as dramatic as this might sound, even strangers can build bonds over a single t-shirt.
Wallace describes PIU (or Problematic Internet Use) as problematic behavior due to too much time spent online. Degree of PIU can be determined by an individual’s locus of control, operant conditioning, maintenance of virtual presence, and “newbie disease”. As Threadless is becoming an increasingly popular and successful company, its founders have developed much better ways to market their site, all while dragging in currently addicted members/fans and chaining them there. I know that for me, personally, I have wasted away hours on the site, rating new t-shirt designs, reading up on members’ blogs, scrolling through old designs and marking the ones I might want to buy when the next sale rolls around. Especially since their addition of “Thriftees” (one randomly selected t-shirt sold at sale price at any given moment), I’ve been more addicted to the site than ever. What makes the site particularly prone to PIU in a user is the constant change in atmosphere. Regular members want to be updated. Regular members want to be the first to know when an item goes on sale. Regular members want to have a say in what designs get printed. In order to be one of these members, a user needs to be constantly up to date in the goings-on of the website.
Though I agree with many of Wallace’s factors of PIU (especially the importance of the influence of the Internet end), I don’t feel that Caplan’s factors about psychosocial and Internet affordances apply. It is highly possible for one to get socially lost within an online environment, especially one conducive to a social atmosphere, Threadless isn’t as seriously threatening to one’s social health. That is, I believe that there are far worse places one could lose oneself socially. I think that the worst damage that a site like Threadless could do is make me procrastinate from academic work even more than I already do, which isn’t too bad I don’t think. :)
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Monday, November 5, 2007
AREEE YOU READDYY SKEEDADDYYY! It’s time for Assignment #9
For those of you who may be wondering what my title is in reference to, congratulations, you probably don’t have the internet addiction which I’d like to talk about; obsessive stock market watching. The title I use is in reference to Jim Cramer’s wild and crazy TV show “Mad Money” where he more or less goes crazy for an hour screaming his picks of different stocks. While this phenomenon occurs on TV, it can be found ten times worse on the internet. Obsessive stock market watching is when one finds themselves unable to get work done or pay attention in class due to their constant watching of the stock market. While this may seem slightly obscure, I have seen first hand how distracting it can be, and have watched some of my friend’s grades fall as they watch their money grow in class.
According to Wallace’s take on problematic internet use (PIU), obsessive stock market watching would fall under an individual difference, locus of control. Locus of control relates to the degree to which one believes that they have control over their circumstances. I feel that stock market watching facilitates the feeling of control that the user needs. Although watching the market doesn’t truly give the user any more control, the feeling that they know exactly what is going on at all times leads to the user feeling much more in control of their investments.
According to Caplan’s study on PIU, symptoms of PIU can manifest themselves in two ways; excessive use and compulsive use. Excessive use is when the use of the internet exceeds the normal or planned amount of time online. Compulsive use is one’s inability to control their online activity which comes with guilt about not having control. Obsessive stock market watching would undoubtedly fall under both of these explanations as it not only can lead to more time spent on-line than normal, but can also lead to loss of control and a feeling of guilt.
Looking at Caplan’s factors of PIU, psychosocial and internet affordances, the phenomenon of obsessive stock market watching does not really apply to either. According to Caplan’s study, affordances of internet interaction deal with greater anonymity, greater control over self-presentation, as well as less perceived social risk. Unfortunately none of these really apply to my example. I believe this is because Caplan was looking at PIU’s that deal with people using the internet to interact with others socially. Obsessive stock market watching differs in that it involves the user interacting with news and updates, rather than with other people.
Obsessive stock market watching is a very interesting online space in that it is very solitary in nature. This behavior does not involve a user interacting with others as one might do in other online spaces such as Second life or chat rooms. I feel that this added lack of personal interaction, further removing the user from social interactions can further lead to loneliness and depression.
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Bidz.com....A low-profile $1 start bidding site!
Bidz.com is an online psychological space that can lead to problematic Internet use. 
The above picture is from bidz.com. It is a 24/7 online auctioneer of jewelry, art and collectibles. The site's design is so interactive; it provides constant bid updates. Furthermore, the Company requires only a $1 minimum opening bid. Bidz.com offers consumers with the best names in jewelry for low prices and allows an alternative liquidation channel for manufacturers. Bidz has low prices because it brings together the broken supply and demand of excess jewelry products in a single online location. Take a look at the picture below: a "Three-stone Ring With 7.00ctw Precious Stones - Genuine Diamonds Made of Solid 14K Two tone Gold. Total item weight 6.9g" at a current bid (as of 11:34pm 11/5/07) $8938. Retail value is at over $11,000.
It is products such as these, worth so much at discount, that makes people come back. Furthermore, the highly interactive and navigable nature of the site keeps people hooked to this site. It may be possible that a person is just surfing on this site for fun, but the nature of this site draws people to the site for longer and longer periods of time each time they come back. Once people begin to keep constant tabs on their bids at 4am we know that there is a definite case of problematic internet use or PIU.
Now lets look at Caplan's article "Preferences for online social interaction", and relate his hypothesis and results to Bidz.com. Hypothesis #1 was proven. It said that an individuals level of depression, and loneliness would predict their level of preference for online social interaction. Something like this can easily occur in Bidz.com. A person who at first regularly went on Bidz.com, may turn to the site all together after a traumatic experience, because this site serves as a reprieve from the real world. Hypothesis #2 was proven as well. It said that the level of preference for online social interaction would predict the severity of symptoms of PIU and negative outcomes due to Internet use. In the context of Bidz.com, possibly, the longer one spends on Bidz.com may suggest more severe PIU. Both are directly related. Hypothesis #3 was not proven. Here it was predicted that an individuals level of psychosocial well-being would predict negative outcomes associated with Internet use.
In addition to the 3 hypothesis, Caplan's theory as a whole stresses that individuals with psychosocial problems “prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious.” In an Internet space like bidz.com, the bid starts at $1, but it rarely remains at $1. At first the consumer just wants the item, and is bidding to win the item. After continued tabs on one item, the purpose of bidding changes. Rather than winning the product, the bidding is for competition. People tend to compete online because it provides anonymity over anything else. Such competition in real-life would be highly improbable from many suffering with PIU because of the comfort offered by a CMC environment. Furthermore, the online space is for many, less threatening because no one knows who you are. Once that anonymity is removed as done in a ftf environment, many people are scared and back off in fear.
Regardless, bidz.com is as of yet, a pretty low-profile bidding site. I have bought several things from the site, and I can definitely see why people are hooked onto this site. Although the great product plays a role in this, it is more so the design of the site that keeps people coming back. component.
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The above picture is from bidz.com. It is a 24/7 online auctioneer of jewelry, art and collectibles. The site's design is so interactive; it provides constant bid updates. Furthermore, the Company requires only a $1 minimum opening bid. Bidz.com offers consumers with the best names in jewelry for low prices and allows an alternative liquidation channel for manufacturers. Bidz has low prices because it brings together the broken supply and demand of excess jewelry products in a single online location. Take a look at the picture below: a "Three-stone Ring With 7.00ctw Precious Stones - Genuine Diamonds Made of Solid 14K Two tone Gold. Total item weight 6.9g" at a current bid (as of 11:34pm 11/5/07) $8938. Retail value is at over $11,000.
It is products such as these, worth so much at discount, that makes people come back. Furthermore, the highly interactive and navigable nature of the site keeps people hooked to this site. It may be possible that a person is just surfing on this site for fun, but the nature of this site draws people to the site for longer and longer periods of time each time they come back. Once people begin to keep constant tabs on their bids at 4am we know that there is a definite case of problematic internet use or PIU.Now lets look at Caplan's article "Preferences for online social interaction", and relate his hypothesis and results to Bidz.com. Hypothesis #1 was proven. It said that an individuals level of depression, and loneliness would predict their level of preference for online social interaction. Something like this can easily occur in Bidz.com. A person who at first regularly went on Bidz.com, may turn to the site all together after a traumatic experience, because this site serves as a reprieve from the real world. Hypothesis #2 was proven as well. It said that the level of preference for online social interaction would predict the severity of symptoms of PIU and negative outcomes due to Internet use. In the context of Bidz.com, possibly, the longer one spends on Bidz.com may suggest more severe PIU. Both are directly related. Hypothesis #3 was not proven. Here it was predicted that an individuals level of psychosocial well-being would predict negative outcomes associated with Internet use.
In addition to the 3 hypothesis, Caplan's theory as a whole stresses that individuals with psychosocial problems “prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious.” In an Internet space like bidz.com, the bid starts at $1, but it rarely remains at $1. At first the consumer just wants the item, and is bidding to win the item. After continued tabs on one item, the purpose of bidding changes. Rather than winning the product, the bidding is for competition. People tend to compete online because it provides anonymity over anything else. Such competition in real-life would be highly improbable from many suffering with PIU because of the comfort offered by a CMC environment. Furthermore, the online space is for many, less threatening because no one knows who you are. Once that anonymity is removed as done in a ftf environment, many people are scared and back off in fear.
Regardless, bidz.com is as of yet, a pretty low-profile bidding site. I have bought several things from the site, and I can definitely see why people are hooked onto this site. Although the great product plays a role in this, it is more so the design of the site that keeps people coming back. component.
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Assignment 9: Webkinz-"Come in and Play!"
Webkinz is the brilliant combination of physical and online interaction with a stuffed animal. A person can buy one of these stuffed animals and then by entering a special code specific only to their toy they can create an online account to access to the “Webkinz World”. This world is a website where you adopt a virtual version of your stuffed animal and have countless ways of interacting with it. These interactions are essential to the belief that Webkinz can lead to Problematic Internet Use.
(A short video about
Webkinz and children's
addiction)
Problematic Internet Use is simply that problematic behavior is related to spending too much time online and this comes from excessive and compulsive use (Caplan). Excessive use is when a person’s time online exceeds the normal, usual, or planned amount and compulsive use is a person’s inability to control their online activity. In this scenario, spending too much time online is connected with the addictiveness of Webkinz because of its online environment. As previously stated this online environment is rich in interactions and one such interaction is taking care of your pet by monitoring its levels of happiness, health, and hunger. Not only do you need to make sure to regularly feed and exercise your pet, but to spend time and play games with it to make it happy.
However, the truly addicting interactions within Webkinz are the daily and hourly activities. These activities make users want to be online more often so that they can play more games, make more money, and buy more things for their pets. Daily interactions are events that you can only perform once a day, like the two gambling arcade games, the “Wheel of Wow” and “Wishing Well 2” (pictured above) and the Care Award (pictured below). The Gem Hunt is one of the most popular once-a-day interactions. This game lets you go mining for a gem to sell, gem of the day for extra money, or to add to your collection. Webkinz also hosts hourly events, which allows a user to log in and perform a special task almost every hour of the day, from receiving a prize of 20 Kinzcash to playing the game “Balloon Darts”.
The addiction of Webkinz is also affecting reality by turning children and adults, especially parents, into shoppers. Like Beanie Babies, Webkinz is becoming a craze where it is often hard to find them available in stores, and this is leading people to use Ebay. The average price for a Webkinz on Ebay is $55, almost 5 times as much as store price. (This fun fact is from the video earlier linked) Ebay in itself is addictive and is turning parents into crazy spenders while trying to make their kids, and even themselves happy. Children are also turning into obsessive shoppers because in order to fully experience Webkinz they have to buy the playing cards, charms, and most importantly the Webkinz stuffed animals (and the pet of the month if they want that month’s special items). Not only are they spending real money, but they are learning to spend online by buying food, clothes, games, furniture, rooms, and toys among other choices. Webkinz is leading to problematic behavior and personalities problems.
Another of Caplan’s theories is the theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being (2004). This theory states that individuals with psychosocial problems, like loneliness and depression, have negative perceptions about their social competence, which can lead to preferring online interactions because they perceive it to be less threatening and themselves to be more efficacious. This preference for online interaction can lead to excessive and compulsive use and create or worsen problems in a person’s life and can also reinforce psychosocial problems.
I feel that Caplan’s theories can apply at a certain level to Webkinz. First of all, not all webkinz users can be identified as depressed or lonely when creating an account, but there is no guarantee that Webkinz will not create these psychosocial issues over time. For example a girl and her group of friends might all buy Webkinz so that they can play with them together at lunch break and then again later online while at home. However the girl might become addicted to Webkinz and start isolating herself from her friends by focusing on the online interactions and this could lead to loneliness and depression. Then again it is likely that some children have a hard time making friends in real life and Webkinz offers them an opportunity for richer interactions with their plush toy companions, and thus they might never really learn how to interact socially and this could lead to reinforced loneliness and depression.
Internet affordances are another part of Caplan's model and help to explain why individuals may prefer online interactions. These affordances can be found within Webkinz in several different examples. The availability of chat rooms where you cannot display pictures of video and create the feeling that you are talking to someone your age who share similar interests (even though this might not be true) can lead to more intense and intimate self-disclosure. An individual on Webkinz also has greater control over their self-presentation and they can do this by selectively choosing their username, their type of pet, their pet's name, the clothes they dress their pet in, and how they decorate their rooms.
The internet also allows greater anonymity and this is also created in the Webkinz environment. Within this environment you create a username and know one knows who you are, how old you are, what you look like, what you really like to do, and this leads to people of all ages playing and becoming addicted. People of all ages can play because this anonymity helps lead to less perceived social risk; they can play without worry of being made fun of or considered childish. Lastly, less social responsibility is another internet affordance. Like many online spaces and Webkinz is no exception a person can develop a mentality of having less social responsibility. They don’t have to worry about being honest, nice, or polite and one reason that this is, is that they cannot visually see the reactions of others based on their behavior.
While Webkinz can be an enriching experience, one that can be had be all, one should monitor their behavior and time online carefully to avoid becoming a Webkinz addict.
For more about the addiction of Webkinz check out these links:
- http://www.news.com/Webkinz-I-fell-in-love-with-a-cyber-alley-cat/2100-1026_3-6182834.html
- http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/04/01/8403359/index.htm
- http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3033380
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webkinz
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9: Creating an army of teenage addicts, one guild at a time
An online activity that may lead to problematic internet use is online gaming. If you look up online gaming on Wikipedia.com, it says that online games are “games that are played over some form of computer network. Online games can range from simple text based games to games incorporating complex graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Many online games have associated online communities, making online games a form of social activity beyond single player games.”
It is this last feature of online gaming that I believe makes the activity so prone to causing problematic internet use. Gaming communities cause gamers to develop social bonds and networks online, making the person more likely to return more often. Many online games are not a psychological space where one is anonymous; often, a gamer belongs to a guild or a clan with a set group of others who play together frequently.
This aspect of online gaming can feed off of Davis’s (2002) four dimensions to predict PIU. First, impulse control can be diminished because you are constantly being influenced and persuaded by others to go on and play, especially if you are part of a group. Second, gaming communities can help one get over loneliness and depression by giving them a group of people who share common interests. Third, playing with the same group of people each time can bring the gamer a level of social comfort that makes him prefer the online world to the real world. And finally, what better way to procrastinate than to go online and play games with a bunch of friends from all over the world?!
Caplan’s model does apply to online gaming. The first step is that individuals with psychosocial problems (loneliness and depression) hold negative perceptions about their social competence. Because of these feelings, gamers may prefer online communication and interaction because it is less threatening. This preference for online interaction over FtF interactions can lead to excessive & compulsive online interaction. People who feel lonely or depressed may turn to gaming as a distraction and a way to feel cared about. If they play and feel happy or rewarded for their work in these games, they are very likely to want to return to the gaming space.
There aren’t really any unique affordances in online gaming that can’t be found in other online spaces. However, it is unique in that your character in the gaming world can be whoever you want it to be; if you have a chance to be a whole different person online with less social risk of being rejected or facing a leviathan for being different. This can be very attractive to people with psychosocial problems or even just issues of self-consciousness or low self-esteem.
It is this last feature of online gaming that I believe makes the activity so prone to causing problematic internet use. Gaming communities cause gamers to develop social bonds and networks online, making the person more likely to return more often. Many online games are not a psychological space where one is anonymous; often, a gamer belongs to a guild or a clan with a set group of others who play together frequently.
This aspect of online gaming can feed off of Davis’s (2002) four dimensions to predict PIU. First, impulse control can be diminished because you are constantly being influenced and persuaded by others to go on and play, especially if you are part of a group. Second, gaming communities can help one get over loneliness and depression by giving them a group of people who share common interests. Third, playing with the same group of people each time can bring the gamer a level of social comfort that makes him prefer the online world to the real world. And finally, what better way to procrastinate than to go online and play games with a bunch of friends from all over the world?!
Caplan’s model does apply to online gaming. The first step is that individuals with psychosocial problems (loneliness and depression) hold negative perceptions about their social competence. Because of these feelings, gamers may prefer online communication and interaction because it is less threatening. This preference for online interaction over FtF interactions can lead to excessive & compulsive online interaction. People who feel lonely or depressed may turn to gaming as a distraction and a way to feel cared about. If they play and feel happy or rewarded for their work in these games, they are very likely to want to return to the gaming space.
There aren’t really any unique affordances in online gaming that can’t be found in other online spaces. However, it is unique in that your character in the gaming world can be whoever you want it to be; if you have a chance to be a whole different person online with less social risk of being rejected or facing a leviathan for being different. This can be very attractive to people with psychosocial problems or even just issues of self-consciousness or low self-esteem.
assignment 9: eBay obsessions
The internet has both its pros and cons. With the internet becoming more and more popular and technologically advanced, internet addictions are thus becoming more rampant. Addictions range from excessive gaming, to compulsive gambling, and to constant purchasing of items on eBay. The convenience of purchasing anything and everything your heart desires is a major component to why online auction sites have become so renowned, and consequently, a major reason why people have evolved into such compulsive bidders.
Caplan’s theory of problematic internet use and psychological well–being is described as a person having behavioral problems related to too much time on the internet. Due to the excessive amounts of time spent online, people are consequently losing important possessions, and a majority of the time their jobs are at risk as well. I found a story of a woman who spent numerous hours on eBay bidding with money she went to desperate measures to get. She said she took money from her husband’s 401k without his knowledge and as a consequence he almost divorced her because of it. This woman’s compulsive use, her inability to control her online activity, almost resulted in devastating manner.
People who are addicted to the internet, specifically eBay, have compulsive behaviors such as feeling a sense of “pride” for making the highest bid, getting up at all hours of the day/night to make a bid, or even bidding with money that isn’t available for them to use. Many people who are addicted to sites such as eBay have psychological problems and have negative perceptions about their social competence, according to the first category of Caplan’s three factors. Because people lack confidence, using eBay is a way for them to increase their perception of themselves and their capabilities, such as feeling a sense of accomplishment for making the highest bid. As a result, people feel more comfortable interacting online as it’s less threatening and people feel more satisfaction with their actions. People have the freedom to act and behave however they please with no one there to ridicule or threaten them in any way. Anonymity, more control over their self presentation and self-disclosure, less social risk, and less social responsibility are also factors which contribute to people feeling more confident with internet usage and online auctioning. Bidding online is anonymous as there’s no need for others to know who you are and there’s less concern for social relationships and self disclosure as these qualities are not important when it comes to auctioning. With the internet being a sort of safe haven for those who have psychological problems and negative perceptions about their social competence, people thus have a high preference for online interaction as it’s more rewarding, even though these rewards often lead to a losing family, friends, and jobs.
As internet addictions are becoming more problematic throughout society today, there are various places available to receive help with any online addiction a person may have. I found a addiction recovery site which can be found at: http://www.netaddiction.com/resources/ebay_addiction.html#
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Caplan’s theory of problematic internet use and psychological well–being is described as a person having behavioral problems related to too much time on the internet. Due to the excessive amounts of time spent online, people are consequently losing important possessions, and a majority of the time their jobs are at risk as well. I found a story of a woman who spent numerous hours on eBay bidding with money she went to desperate measures to get. She said she took money from her husband’s 401k without his knowledge and as a consequence he almost divorced her because of it. This woman’s compulsive use, her inability to control her online activity, almost resulted in devastating manner.
People who are addicted to the internet, specifically eBay, have compulsive behaviors such as feeling a sense of “pride” for making the highest bid, getting up at all hours of the day/night to make a bid, or even bidding with money that isn’t available for them to use. Many people who are addicted to sites such as eBay have psychological problems and have negative perceptions about their social competence, according to the first category of Caplan’s three factors. Because people lack confidence, using eBay is a way for them to increase their perception of themselves and their capabilities, such as feeling a sense of accomplishment for making the highest bid. As a result, people feel more comfortable interacting online as it’s less threatening and people feel more satisfaction with their actions. People have the freedom to act and behave however they please with no one there to ridicule or threaten them in any way. Anonymity, more control over their self presentation and self-disclosure, less social risk, and less social responsibility are also factors which contribute to people feeling more confident with internet usage and online auctioning. Bidding online is anonymous as there’s no need for others to know who you are and there’s less concern for social relationships and self disclosure as these qualities are not important when it comes to auctioning. With the internet being a sort of safe haven for those who have psychological problems and negative perceptions about their social competence, people thus have a high preference for online interaction as it’s more rewarding, even though these rewards often lead to a losing family, friends, and jobs.
As internet addictions are becoming more problematic throughout society today, there are various places available to receive help with any online addiction a person may have. I found a addiction recovery site which can be found at: http://www.netaddiction.com/resources/ebay_addiction.html#
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9: Shop 'Til You Drop
Although the transition from the New York City suburb I grew up in to the wonderful Ithaca, NY for school was a fairly easy one, there was one aspect of the move that was not so simple: the lack of stores available for a good days worth of shopping. While Ithaca is good for getting that freshly baked apple pie or those hand woven gloves you have always wanted, I do not find it easy to find a good pair of jeans or a great pair of shoes that are sometimes necessary items. Thus, I turned to the wonderful world of online shopping to fill the void I felt in this area.
While my use of the Internet for shopping has not lead to something known as Problematic Internet Use, online shopping most certainly can lead to such a behavior. Problematic Internet Use is defined as a problematic behavior related to too much time online (Hancock 2007), and Wallace discusses four factors that may lead to such behavior:
1. Locus of Control: the degree to which one believes that thy have control over their circumstances. Because of the nature of the Internet, people can control everything about their lives online; thus, people with a high need of control spend a great deal of time on the Internet.
2. Operant Conditioning: when behavior is rewarded with a variable schedule, the behavior is much harder to extinguish. This is perhaps most important in synchronous psychological spaces.
3. Maintenance of Virtual Presence: it is easy to manage ones impressions and presence on the Internet.
4. Newbie Disease: levels of non-adaptive behavior fluctuate. First, for example, when a new technology is released, we spend a lot of time using it. As time goes on, however, people tend to back off and use it less and less (Hancock 2007).
Operant conditioning, maintenance of virtual presence, and newbie disease deal with properties of the Internet that lead to Problematic Internet Use (Hancock 2007). In terms of operant conditioning, the particular online space of Internet shopping allows behavior to be rewarded with a variable time schedule, and it is thus, much harder to extinguish. Although people can go for days searching a countless number of sites, in hopes of finding either something they were searching for or something they cannot live without, people do, on a variable schedule, find the perfect item. Furthermore, newbie disease comes in to play; when a new website is released or discovered, people can spend hours upon hours searching the site, yet as time moves on, this occurs less and less.
Locus of control, however, has to do with individual factors that lead to Problematic Internet Use, and in 2002, Davis, Fleet, and Besser developed a study focusing on individual differences and how they may lead to problematic behavior. Their four factors include, diminished impulse control, loneliness/depression, social comfort, distraction/procrastination, and they concluded that both individual differences and Internet properties lead to Problematic Internet Use.
In 2004, Caplan too developed a study that attempted to examine Problematic Internet Use, and came up with the following hypotheses:
1. People with psychosocial problems, such as depression and loneliness, hold negative perceptions about their social competence. Perhaps they feel that by shopping online and not in an actual store, they do not have to deal with other people looking at them, evaluating them, or talking with them.
2. People that have the above social issues prefer online communication because it is less threatening and they feel more effacious. By using the Internet to do their shopping, they do not have to communicate with sales people, or discuss with others as to what they are looking for or what looks good on them.
2. Preference for online interaction leads to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which then worsens the problem. Because shopping online tends to be a positive experience, people will turn to it more and more and the problem with then be worsened. In a sense, Caplan saw Problematic Internet Use as a vicious cycle that although stems from psychosocial problems, further embeds psychosocial problems as a result of excessive, compulsive Internet use.
Although online shopping can lead to Problematic Internet Use due to both the nature of the Internet as well as individual factors, it also offers some unique features that can further lead to such behavior. Online shopping allows people to not only visit every single store they could ever possibly want to visit at any time of day, but it allows people to do so in such a way where people do not need to leave their home. I, for example, am able to shop at some of my favorite stores from home or in other places that are thousands of miles away, all while I am sitting in my bed, in my pajamas, watching television.
Moreover, the Internet allows people to buy absolutely anything they ever wanted. Even if a store nearby does not carry an item, the Internet offers the amazing capability of being able to purchase absolutely anything needed from anywhere in the world.
Additionally, shopping online is a huge time saver; not only can you look at a specific brand or stores’ inventory before venturing out to see if they actually carry a specific item in the actual store, but it is much quicker to click a button and enter ones credit card information than it is to drive to the store, try everything on, pay for the item, and drive home. Online shopping allows people to purchase and try on items in their own convenience, and this is why it is attractive to so many people.
Furthermore, the ability to compare various items found on different sites is another unique feature of online shopping that could lead to problematic behavior, as it gives people the ability to evaluate different brands, colors, and prices all by the click of a button.
Image from: http://www.cavalierdaily.com/.Archives/1999/10/21/lfkate.gif
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Assignment 9
Bluefly.com, shopbop.com, llbean.com, nike.com. Online retailing is a multi-million dollar business that sucks away the time of men and women of all ages. I have watched countless numbers of girls scroll through pages full of shiny new merchandise and boys scan the pages of the latest sneakers and sports equipment during class time. Is this a problem? Caplan (2004) defines Problematic Internet Use as, “maladaptive cognitions and behaviors involving internet use that result in negative academic, professional, and social consequences”. Due to several factors, I believe online shopping qualifies as an online activity that leads to PIU.
Online shopping comes in several forms. I have taken part in online window shopping, i.e. browsing without intention to buy. Due to the internet’s accessibility, I can search through merchandise unique to different stores in different geographic areas that may be difficult to visit. I could find African tribal masks, Australian boomerangs, or even drugs that are not yet FDA approved. The internet offers a great variety that is easy to search through.
When online browsing leads to online purchases, internet use can become even more problematic. Most online transactions require the use of a credit card, and many people easily lose track of how much they spend. Caplan (2004) cites operant conditioning as a reason for the development of problematic internet use. Operant conditioning occurs when a certain behavior is rewarded, and thus causes the behavior to occur again. In this example, when a customer orders something online and receives the object, they will feel rewarded and may purchase something else. This is fine in moderation, but can be extremely dangerous if spending activities are not monitored.
Although internet shopping does not usually require interacting with others in the psychological space, it definitely is a time sink. People that have psychosocial issues and do not feel comfortable in public may choose to do all of their shopping online so they do not have to interact with others.
Online shopping comes in several forms. I have taken part in online window shopping, i.e. browsing without intention to buy. Due to the internet’s accessibility, I can search through merchandise unique to different stores in different geographic areas that may be difficult to visit. I could find African tribal masks, Australian boomerangs, or even drugs that are not yet FDA approved. The internet offers a great variety that is easy to search through.
When online browsing leads to online purchases, internet use can become even more problematic. Most online transactions require the use of a credit card, and many people easily lose track of how much they spend. Caplan (2004) cites operant conditioning as a reason for the development of problematic internet use. Operant conditioning occurs when a certain behavior is rewarded, and thus causes the behavior to occur again. In this example, when a customer orders something online and receives the object, they will feel rewarded and may purchase something else. This is fine in moderation, but can be extremely dangerous if spending activities are not monitored.
Although internet shopping does not usually require interacting with others in the psychological space, it definitely is a time sink. People that have psychosocial issues and do not feel comfortable in public may choose to do all of their shopping online so they do not have to interact with others.
A9: The Most Problematic Game
When one thinks of addicting behaviors online, the old staples come to mind, like porn or gambling, but online multiplayer games have now become a growing problematic activity. According to Wallace, it has many properties that make it a prime candidate as a PIU (problematic internet use). First off, any online game played with other players has a “variable reward” system, so that no matter how the game is played, the outcome will always differ. One playing style versus a weak player may result in an easy victory; the same style against a stronger player may end in a hard-earned win or even a loss. This encourages the players to keep playing and gain experience and skill, and hopefully, eventually, greater success.
And with popular games, the community is usually active 24/7, so in order to be better than everyone else (or at least, to stop losing so much), it pays to play early and often. This reward for remaining online is what Wallace calls “maintenance of virtual presence,” and it extends farther than just practice. It’s easy to make friends on the internet, and if you commonly see a certain player on your server, you may ask them for advice or play with them often. These advantages are particularly alluring to a newcomer, and the attraction to this novelty is called “newbie disease.” It’s exciting to learn how to play, to compete against other players, and to win.
All of these characteristics make online gaming a very attractive activity, especially to the socially inept, as Caplan’s model describes. Those with psychosocial problems may opt not to talk with their fellow gamers, or to slowly get comfortable and practice their social skills. It is easy to prefer online gaming, because there’s no one around, watching or judging, which can be very intimidating, yet if one improves in the game, other will flock to them. Although it’s understandable why a community would suggest to the socially inept to join in team sports or school clubs, multiplayer gaming provides minimal social risk to the player while offering the most social control and many social benefits. They can become respected, beloved players and community leaders in a game, a game that offers a chance to be more than they could ever expect offline. This, in turn, may become a vicious cycle, where one pours more and pour time into a game to become the best, never realizing that their psychosocial problems increase because of their hobby. However, there are many cases where people make good friends and become more social because of online gaming, so the cycle can be broken.
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Assign Nine: That Dude's List
Let's say I have a 'friend' that has an internet addiction-- what would you guess their addiction consists of? We all know there's a lot free porn out there, and we all know that the gambling is good for the compulsive types. (I've also lost a few friends to W.o.W (R.I.P.)-- but who hasn't?) Please try to stay in your seat when I tell you that this particular friend is addicted to something far more foul and insidious than all these. It crawled out from the underbelly of our internet alleyways and started to proffer luring knick-knacks at irresistible prices. I'm talking about that dude's list... oh what's his name? Oh right. Craig.
Craigslist.com offers local listings for everything from old sinks and golf clubs to Ithacan male strippers:
"Spice up your next party.
Great guy, baby boomer, fit and fun, will deliver balloons or flowers to your next party, birthday or holiday event. Laugh, blush and party!
g-string or nude.
- Boomer Balloons"
How could you resist a baby-boomer in a g-string? But in all seriousness, if someone begins to check craigslist for good deals, there is no telling what will be available or how long it will be available before someone buys it. Some listings go up late at night and are already sold by the next day,encouraging constant vigilance for deal-seekers. Wallace would describe the addictiveness of craigslist by referring to the psychological technique of operant conditioning with a variable reward schedule. Checking craigslist is difficult to extinguish because users become conditioned to expect very sporadic rewards.
But craigslist is not just rusty garage tools and grandpa's television set, it is also an online social interaction network. People often post very personal entries just describing a problem they have or venting about things that they find frustrating. It is this aspect of craigslist that lends itself to the factors of Caplan's model. It seems likely that users that seek out the craigslist community in a problematic way are often already afflicted by psychosocial problems like loneliness. In this way, they prefer online interactions via CMC to FtF because they perceive it to be less threatening and perceive themselves to be more capable of having their desired effect (efficacious). Caplan showed that this positive feedback loop can lead to exacerbated psychosocial problems, a stronger preference for CMC and further excessive use of CMC, repeating ad infinitum.
Alright, alright. So it's me who is addicted. I just can't help myself when there are reel-to-reel tape recorders from the sixties out there! It is truly a foul temptation!
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Craigslist.com offers local listings for everything from old sinks and golf clubs to Ithacan male strippers:
"Spice up your next party.
Great guy, baby boomer, fit and fun, will deliver balloons or flowers to your next party, birthday or holiday event. Laugh, blush and party!
g-string or nude.
- Boomer Balloons"
How could you resist a baby-boomer in a g-string? But in all seriousness, if someone begins to check craigslist for good deals, there is no telling what will be available or how long it will be available before someone buys it. Some listings go up late at night and are already sold by the next day,encouraging constant vigilance for deal-seekers. Wallace would describe the addictiveness of craigslist by referring to the psychological technique of operant conditioning with a variable reward schedule. Checking craigslist is difficult to extinguish because users become conditioned to expect very sporadic rewards.
But craigslist is not just rusty garage tools and grandpa's television set, it is also an online social interaction network. People often post very personal entries just describing a problem they have or venting about things that they find frustrating. It is this aspect of craigslist that lends itself to the factors of Caplan's model. It seems likely that users that seek out the craigslist community in a problematic way are often already afflicted by psychosocial problems like loneliness. In this way, they prefer online interactions via CMC to FtF because they perceive it to be less threatening and perceive themselves to be more capable of having their desired effect (efficacious). Caplan showed that this positive feedback loop can lead to exacerbated psychosocial problems, a stronger preference for CMC and further excessive use of CMC, repeating ad infinitum.
Alright, alright. So it's me who is addicted. I just can't help myself when there are reel-to-reel tape recorders from the sixties out there! It is truly a foul temptation!
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Assignment 9
First, on an unrelated note, I just wanted to bring to everyone’s attention that this weekend’s “Sunday Styles” section in the New York Times featured an article entitled “The Global Sympathetic Audience” by Noam Cohen. For those who did not come across the article, it was about support systems found online in what are called “miniblogs,” where users write 2-3 sentences at a time about the details of their day-to-day lives. The article distinguishes what they describe as “quick blogging” from more traditional blogs due to the fact that there is continuous and synchronous communication that occurs in real time. The article profiles a number of individuals who experienced various levels of social support, in some cases preventing suicide attempts from being successful.
For those who are interested, the article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/fashion/04twitter.html?adxnnl=1&ref=style&adxnnlx=1194294526-rh4LG5XQ3SxHf9L0p1bdEw
I have a friend who is overly reliant on Facebook as a social indicator and provider of cues that should otherwise be reserved for real-life, face to face interaction. To my friend, an acquaintance from high school who we will call S, an extended period of time between wall posts is a true indicator of a dwindling relationship. Friending or de-friending is a public indicator of social status, and deserving of close analysis. I have even heard her proclaim to a friend that their friendship will be terminated, in real life, if she refuses to remove her ex-boyfriend as a “friend” on Facebook.
I cannot deny that Facebook has adjusted the ways we, as a generation, interact. However, I believe that Facebook interaction must be viewed as an entity set apart from face-to-face communication. In my opinion, Facebook is an extraneous networking tool that should never be able to replace traditional means of communication. Additionally, due to a number of features of Facebook, such as its asynchronous communication, lack of cues and visibility to the public, communication that has the potential to affect anyone on a deeper emotional level should be discussed outside of Facebook, and rather in face-to-face communication. I believe that it becomes problematic when individuals, like S, communicate things, such as the termination of what was an emotional relation, on Facebook, and therefore avoid speaking about such issues in conventional ways.
Since studying problematic internet use, I have been able to analyze S’s infatuation with Facebook in a new light. Caplan’s Theory of Problematic Internet Use structures PIU into three steps. First, the theory states that individuals with psychological problems hold negative perceptions about their social competence. S’s case reveals that psychologically, she is not confident enough to confront certain individuals via conventional methods of communication, and therefore resorts to Facebook (unfriending, sending messages, etc) to convey her true feelings about other individuals.
The second part of the theory states that these individuals prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feels as if it is more efficacious. It is evident that S prefers to handle her social issues via the internet and feels that her true feelings will be conveyed through Facebook. However, this is where her internet use becomes most problematic. S’s beliefs that her actions on Facebook will be effective in expressing her feelings make it difficult for those in her social circles to help remedy the situation, for they might not interpret her actions on Facebook as she wished for them to be interpreted. Due to the fact that Facebook is asynchronous and lacks many verbal and non-verbal cues, it is often the case that S fails to effectively deliver what she hoped to express.
Lastly, the theory states that preference for online interaction leads to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which worsens their problems. Specifically, S has become overly reliant on Facebook as a means for communication, which has triggered a downward spiral of ineffective communication. There have been numerous occurrences when I have witnessed a misinterpretation of S’s messages expressed via Facebook. However, due to her increased reliance on Facebook, and in turn a decrease in FtF communication, misinterpreted messages have been the root of problems that then go unresolved, due to the inability of online communication to be as effective in expressing more emotional messages.
S’s PIU stems from a combination of both psychological issues and internet affordances. However, I have noticed most often that S is drawn to the internet due to psychological issues. She seems to be most attracted to the personal locus of control that the internet allows her to have. It is evident that S does not feel as comfortable in Ftf communication and therefore does not have as much control of the circumstances involved in real world communication. She feels a greater degree of control in CMC, due to a number of cues, in particular, asynchronicity.
Overall, I think it is most important that internet users are able to distinguish between real world and online communication. While there may be a beneficial synergy between the two forms of communication, internet use often becomes problematic, as seen in S’s case, when FtF communication is replaced by CMC.
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For those who are interested, the article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/fashion/04twitter.html?adxnnl=1&ref=style&adxnnlx=1194294526-rh4LG5XQ3SxHf9L0p1bdEw
I have a friend who is overly reliant on Facebook as a social indicator and provider of cues that should otherwise be reserved for real-life, face to face interaction. To my friend, an acquaintance from high school who we will call S, an extended period of time between wall posts is a true indicator of a dwindling relationship. Friending or de-friending is a public indicator of social status, and deserving of close analysis. I have even heard her proclaim to a friend that their friendship will be terminated, in real life, if she refuses to remove her ex-boyfriend as a “friend” on Facebook.
I cannot deny that Facebook has adjusted the ways we, as a generation, interact. However, I believe that Facebook interaction must be viewed as an entity set apart from face-to-face communication. In my opinion, Facebook is an extraneous networking tool that should never be able to replace traditional means of communication. Additionally, due to a number of features of Facebook, such as its asynchronous communication, lack of cues and visibility to the public, communication that has the potential to affect anyone on a deeper emotional level should be discussed outside of Facebook, and rather in face-to-face communication. I believe that it becomes problematic when individuals, like S, communicate things, such as the termination of what was an emotional relation, on Facebook, and therefore avoid speaking about such issues in conventional ways.
Since studying problematic internet use, I have been able to analyze S’s infatuation with Facebook in a new light. Caplan’s Theory of Problematic Internet Use structures PIU into three steps. First, the theory states that individuals with psychological problems hold negative perceptions about their social competence. S’s case reveals that psychologically, she is not confident enough to confront certain individuals via conventional methods of communication, and therefore resorts to Facebook (unfriending, sending messages, etc) to convey her true feelings about other individuals.
The second part of the theory states that these individuals prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feels as if it is more efficacious. It is evident that S prefers to handle her social issues via the internet and feels that her true feelings will be conveyed through Facebook. However, this is where her internet use becomes most problematic. S’s beliefs that her actions on Facebook will be effective in expressing her feelings make it difficult for those in her social circles to help remedy the situation, for they might not interpret her actions on Facebook as she wished for them to be interpreted. Due to the fact that Facebook is asynchronous and lacks many verbal and non-verbal cues, it is often the case that S fails to effectively deliver what she hoped to express.
Lastly, the theory states that preference for online interaction leads to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which worsens their problems. Specifically, S has become overly reliant on Facebook as a means for communication, which has triggered a downward spiral of ineffective communication. There have been numerous occurrences when I have witnessed a misinterpretation of S’s messages expressed via Facebook. However, due to her increased reliance on Facebook, and in turn a decrease in FtF communication, misinterpreted messages have been the root of problems that then go unresolved, due to the inability of online communication to be as effective in expressing more emotional messages.
S’s PIU stems from a combination of both psychological issues and internet affordances. However, I have noticed most often that S is drawn to the internet due to psychological issues. She seems to be most attracted to the personal locus of control that the internet allows her to have. It is evident that S does not feel as comfortable in Ftf communication and therefore does not have as much control of the circumstances involved in real world communication. She feels a greater degree of control in CMC, due to a number of cues, in particular, asynchronicity.
Overall, I think it is most important that internet users are able to distinguish between real world and online communication. While there may be a beneficial synergy between the two forms of communication, internet use often becomes problematic, as seen in S’s case, when FtF communication is replaced by CMC.
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assignment 9
Two words that could make anyone who has to pay credit card bills cringe--online shopping. Unlike porn, gambling, and away message stalking which are all your average, harmful, albeit embarrassing habits, an addiction to online shopping can send you spiraling into debt, and climbing over boxes of unopened baby clothing, (your youngest child is 17..)treadmills, and Christmas decorations. Because obviously everyone knows if you buy something by clicking a button.. it doesn't really count, it's just "money." The opportunity to purchase something.. anything online can lead to problematic internet usage because of how easy and convenient it is. Everything you could ever want, and never need, is literally at your finger tips. The hassle of.. ugh ..actually driving to a store is completely eliminated. You could feasibly do all your shopping positively naked if that is what your heart desired. Compulsively shopping and buying things online is certainly a maladaptive behavior that could, and if not stopped, probably would, result in negative social consequences. Credit card debt can be pretty serious if it is not attended to. Depending on the severity of the online shopping, negative academic and professional consequences could incur as well.(Beauty school drop out?)
According to Caplan, individual psychosocial problems could be the cause of obsessive online shopping, as well as the unique desirable characteristics of the internet,(over night shipping for one)including easy access, anonymity, and available variety.
Individuals who have their credit card number memorized from over ordering may indeed have various psychosocial problems that might lead them to turn to the internet instead of completing the same tasks in a face to face environment. A preference for online interaction may be the result of intense loneliness, or even depression. Some find malls to be unpleasant, crowded, threatening places. (the people, the pretzels, the sales oh my!) The internet is welcoming, and allows for more individual control.
I can respect the average couch potato, but when a preference for the internet overpowers the basic need for face to face communication, that becomes problematic because excessive and compulsive online shopping can ensue, which is clearly a very serious problem.
Aside from special coupons only to be used online that stores bombard you with once you sign up for their mailing list, the world of online shopping does offer substantial perks. It is anonymous in the sense that no real person sees what you're doing. Maybe you are 45 and exclusively dress yourself in assorted Disney paraphernalia. That is embarrassing, and anonymity may be crucial in that sort of situation. Perhaps someone who is generally bitter and an all around unpleasant individual would enjoy the lack of nonverbal cues the online shopping environment offers. Amongst both the psychological and internet factors involved, is a plethora of possibilities for causing excessive online shopping. Unfortunately, if abused, online shopping can lead to problematic internet usage, causing negative consequences. Mostly, this excessive and compulsive behavior puts you on the path to probable bankruptcy.
According to Caplan, individual psychosocial problems could be the cause of obsessive online shopping, as well as the unique desirable characteristics of the internet,(over night shipping for one)including easy access, anonymity, and available variety.
Individuals who have their credit card number memorized from over ordering may indeed have various psychosocial problems that might lead them to turn to the internet instead of completing the same tasks in a face to face environment. A preference for online interaction may be the result of intense loneliness, or even depression. Some find malls to be unpleasant, crowded, threatening places. (the people, the pretzels, the sales oh my!) The internet is welcoming, and allows for more individual control.
I can respect the average couch potato, but when a preference for the internet overpowers the basic need for face to face communication, that becomes problematic because excessive and compulsive online shopping can ensue, which is clearly a very serious problem.
Aside from special coupons only to be used online that stores bombard you with once you sign up for their mailing list, the world of online shopping does offer substantial perks. It is anonymous in the sense that no real person sees what you're doing. Maybe you are 45 and exclusively dress yourself in assorted Disney paraphernalia. That is embarrassing, and anonymity may be crucial in that sort of situation. Perhaps someone who is generally bitter and an all around unpleasant individual would enjoy the lack of nonverbal cues the online shopping environment offers. Amongst both the psychological and internet factors involved, is a plethora of possibilities for causing excessive online shopping. Unfortunately, if abused, online shopping can lead to problematic internet usage, causing negative consequences. Mostly, this excessive and compulsive behavior puts you on the path to probable bankruptcy.
Assignment 9
One particular internet activity which I find problematic is playing online videogames. Such videogames are interactive and interpersonal which allows for multiple individuals to join together at a certain time and play together. I am not a fan of online videogames, yet one game in particular which has been a topic of conversation among friends, has been StarCraft. Discussing the actual game itself is not my main objective here, yet the psychological, social, and communicative implications of online videogames is my main focus.
The online, interactive, interpersonal psychological space in which online games exists is problematic for many reasons. For the person playing the game, it can become addicting, lead oneself to reject Face-to-Face communication (due to social dependence online), and it can be mentally taxing. There is a great deal of anonymity that exists within online games. People who you are playing with (unless the already know you), are unfamiliar with your background and character traits. Thus, who you are online can be very different compared to what you are like in real life. These are scary assumptions and risks associated with online gaming for the individual; changing and altering personas are a deceptive undertaking. There are problems for the rest of the gamers who are associated with a deceptive host. First, they are receiving a false perception of an individual (which is morally or ethically questionable). Second, playing online for a significant amount of time with a specific person could foster a bad relationship if there is tension between players.
Moreover, because these online games are so addictive, they can and do prevent people from getting out of their house and socializing FtF. I have seen this first hand, and it is sad. The amount of time spent gaming could easily be put towards socializing with real people, or doing more productive things such as a Comm 245 blog assignment. Agree to disagree on the comment stated above…
The cyclical Caplan model (2004) is very relevant to this example. As found in the model, excessive/ compulsive use of the internet can lead to psychological problems, which in turn leads to low social competence. As stated in the previous paragraphs, playing extreme amounts of online games can cause one to become deceptive and not true to oneself (having a psychological problem). Moreover, this will lead to not being social or participating in FtF communication (low social competence). Because of one’s low social competence, he or she will have a drive for more online interaction because it is less threatening (and he or she is able to thrive off of their false persona). As stated, these characteristics found in the Caplan model, all relate to each other and contribute to their development .
Lastly, I do not believe this online space/interaction is unique because in other spaces such as online gambling, one can be very anonymous or change their playing habits than if they were competing Face-to-Face. Yet, this space is unique in a certain way in that you can replace youself with a fictional character/being, and assume that you have its characteristics in a world of fantasy. The sense of imagination is very high with online gaming, and it is interesting to study its effects on humans.
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