An Examination of Internet Usage on Two College Campuses

Abstract

Some individuals use the Internet beyond reasonable expectations and suffer from Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), which produces significant, negative consequences in the daily lives of these individuals. This research sought to ascertain Internet availability and use by college students on two campuses: a small, private liberal arts university and a medium-size, public university. Although the majority (91%+) of the students sampled on both campuses have access to the Internet, extensive hours on-line ([is greater than] 25) were reported only by the students (especially men) at the public institution. Technically, are linked to the ingestion of chemicals, such as heroin, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and so forth (Schelling, 1992). What about those other addictions we hear about so often (Blume, 1992): gambling, jogging, eating, and watching soap operas on television, for example? Certainly, they are not based on the ingestion of chemicals. Our definition of addiction has expanded to include almost any type of compulsive behavior (Foa & Kozak, 1995). Viewed in this context, it is not surprising to find there individuals who have become addicted to the Internet (i.e., Internet Addiction Disorder, IAD). IAD symptoms are similar to those experienced by individuals suffering from other types of addiction (Goldberg, 1997): development of tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, accessing the Internet for progressively longer periods of time, ineffective attempts to decrease Internet use, expenditure of considerable amounts of time on Internet-related activities, social and occupational responsibilities suffer, behavior persists even though the sufferer acknowledges its negative impact. How prevalent and intrusive is IAD? Young (1996) studied 396 IAD sufferers (239 women, 157 men) and 100 non-IAD Internet users (54 women, 46 men). She found that middleaged women were more prone to IAD than other age and sex groups. Whereas non-IAD individuals may be on-line for 1 or 2 hr a day for pleasure (M = 4.90 hr/week), IAD sufferers reported being on-line up to 10 times that long (M = 38.50 hr/week). The non-business or pleasure use of the Internet differed between IAD sufferers and non-sufferers; non-IAD sufferers used the Internet to maintain already established relationships, whereas IAD sufferers were attracted to those aspects of the Internet (e.g., chat rooms) where they could meet and socialize with new individuals. The IAD sufferers also reported their excessive use of the Internet had moderately or severely impacted at least one major aspect of their lives. The most adversely affected aspects of their daily lives were academics, interpersonal relationships, finances, and occupational responsibilities; however, the IAD sufferers also reported they had no intention of curtailing their Internet use. As Internet availability on college campuses becomes more prevalent, universities must become sensitized to the deleterious effects of excessive Internet use. The present study sought to ascertain the extent of Internet use on two college campuses: a small, private liberal arts university and a medium-size, state university. We also sought to identify differences in Internet use between men and women at the two institutions involved. Method Participants Medium-size state university. This group of participants consisted of 349 undergraduates (242 women, 107 men) enrolled at a medium-size, Midwestern university (enrollment = 5,500). Small, private liberal arts university. This group of participants consisted on 184 undergraduates (101 women, 83 men) enrolled at a small, private, liberal arts university (enrollment = 900). Materials A sheet requesting demographics, information about Internet access, amount of time spent on-line weekly, and types of Internet applications visited was completed by each student. The students also were asked if time on-line interfered with work, school, or interpersonal relations, and to explain the nature of the interference, if applicable. …