We can't imagine our lives without the Internet. It is the tool of our existence; without it we couldn't work, plan our social and leisure activities, and interact with friends. The Internet’s influence on contemporary society extends across every aspect of our personal and professional lives, but how has this altered us in psychological terms? How are we to understand how the Internet can promote enormous amounts of caring and kindness to strangers and yet be the source of unremitting acts of terror?
This book, grounded in the latest cutting-edge research, enhances our understanding of how we, and our children, behave online. It explores questions such as:
Why does our self-control abandon us sometimes on the Internet?
Why does the Internet create a separate realm of social and personal relationships?
How does all that change us as people?
Are youngsters really as exposed and threatened on the web as people think?
Internet Psychology: The Basics is a vital and fascinating guide to the online world, drawing on classic theories of human behaviour to shed fresh light on this central facet of modern life. It argues that, even in an age of constant technological advancement, our understanding of the human psyche remains rooted in these well-established theories. Embracing both positive and negative aspects of Internet use, this easy introduction to the subject will appeal to students and general readers alike.
Author(s): Yair Amichai-Hamburger
Series: The Basics
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 201
Cover......Page 1
Half Title......Page 4
Series Information......Page 5
Title Page......Page 6
Copyright Page......Page 7
Dedication......Page 8
Table of Contents......Page 10
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Preface......Page 14
1 Who are we online?......Page 18
Feeling of anonymity......Page 19
Control over level of physical exposure......Page 21
High control over communications......Page 22
Ease in locating like-minded people......Page 23
Accessibility and availability at all times and places......Page 24
Feelings of equality......Page 25
Fun of web surfing......Page 27
Where does this all lead?......Page 28
The flipside: Can things go wrong?......Page 30
References......Page 34
2 Does our personality affect our online behavior?......Page 35
Freud and the Internet: Can the Internet accommodate the toppling of conventions and release of the id?......Page 36
Pros and cons of e-Therapy......Page 40
Who benefits from the Internet?......Page 45
Need for closure......Page 53
Narcissism......Page 54
Attachment theory......Page 56
Sensation-seeking......Page 58
References......Page 59
What is the importance of love in our life?......Page 62
Physiology......Page 64
Commerce......Page 65
Can you find real love online?......Page 66
Intimacy: What happens when we fall in love with a fantasy?......Page 72
Why do we trust people online so speedily?......Page 73
What is the attraction of online love?......Page 75
What are the boundaries of online infidelity?......Page 76
When is it permissible to stretch our personal details?......Page 77
How can we distinguish between real intimacy and public relations?......Page 79
Do more romantic options lead to better decisions?......Page 80
A final word......Page 81
References......Page 82
4 Violence on the Internet......Page 84
How does the Internet encourage aggression?......Page 87
Is anonymity a necessity for aggressive online behavior?......Page 91
Does the Internet turn good people bad?......Page 92
Who are more aggressive online, men or women?......Page 93
How do terrorist organizations use the Internet?......Page 94
Who are the hackers and what makes them tick?......Page 98
What kind of people are hackers?......Page 99
Do real Robin Hood hackers exist?......Page 100
Does the Internet provide a venue for aggression against women?......Page 102
A final word......Page 104
References......Page 105
5 Youth and the Internet: Entering the enchanted forest?......Page 107
From the perspective of children, what are the main advantages of the Internet?......Page 109
What are the pros and cons of Facebook for children?......Page 110
How does online pornography affect children?......Page 113
How does violence in online games affect children?......Page 114
Is it possible to identify a child’s addiction to the Internet?......Page 116
Anorexia and the Internet......Page 117
What is cyberbullying and how does it impact children?......Page 118
How can parents regain influence in the digital world?......Page 121
How can we partake in our children’s online lives?......Page 123
What Internet topics should you discuss with your children?......Page 127
A final word......Page 128
References......Page 129
What did you say?......Page 132
Are groups relevant to the online experience?......Page 133
Partially online groups......Page 134
Groups that exist only online......Page 135
Can we be significant individuals and group members on the Internet simultaneously?......Page 136
What is the minimum condition needed to create a group?......Page 138
Is anonymity likely to eliminate group identity?......Page 139
Are group norms and cultures evident in Internet groups?......Page 140
What is conformity and how is it relevant online?......Page 142
Do online groups tend to move to extreme positions?......Page 144
Do online group members give their best efforts?......Page 145
Do we need leaders online?......Page 147
Can anyone become an online leader?......Page 149
Is charisma relevant to being a leader in the online world?......Page 150
Digital literacy......Page 151
Open communication......Page 152
Task orientation......Page 153
Emotional focus......Page 154
Challenge the paradigms of followers......Page 155
Establishing a culture through the net......Page 156
What are the main hazards facing e-leaders?......Page 158
References......Page 159
7 How can we use the Internet to create a better world?......Page 162
What special advantages does online volunteering offer?......Page 164
Individual level......Page 165
Interpersonal level......Page 167
Group identity......Page 168
Solving the conflict between the desire for autonomy and the need to belong......Page 169
Self-actualization......Page 170
Intergroup conflict: bringing rival groups together......Page 172
How can the Internet play a part in intergroup contact?......Page 175
Online contact between Catholic and Protestant children in Ireland......Page 176
Online contact between Israeli Jewish and Muslim student teachers......Page 177
What happens when online intergroup contact is allowed to run free?......Page 178
Can online games promote better intergroup relations?......Page 179
Identity enrichment......Page 180
Online intergroup role-playing......Page 182
Training online change agents......Page 184
References......Page 185
8 How do we successfully navigate our way through the digital jungle?......Page 188
Individuality......Page 189
Efficiency – time is money......Page 190
Materialism – I am what I can buy......Page 192
Internet of five senses......Page 194
Total documentation of action......Page 195
Lighthouse values......Page 197
How do we overcome communication technology’s hold over our lives and govern its effects?......Page 202
A final word......Page 206
References......Page 207
Glossary......Page 209
Index......Page 211
