Predicting University Students’ Internet Addiction in terms of Internet Affinity and Learned Resourcefulness


Creative Commons License

Bulut E., Zeren Ş. G.

The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies, cilt.14, sa.84, ss.95-112, 2021 (Hakemli Dergi)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 14 Sayı: 84
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.29228/jasss.43818
  • Dergi Adı: The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: CAB Abstracts, Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.95-112
  • Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

With the rapid increase of technological developments day by day, the Internet has gained an important place in the lives of individuals. The Internet, as being a tool that people need access almost every moment and anywhere in daily life, has become the most powerful one among the communication tools, surpassing the influence of television, radio and written media with its services in the century we live in. However, the tendency of individuals to activities such as fun gambling, chatting, and sharing can be significantly seen at Internet environment, and this situation causes the use of the Internet, which is quite attractive, to turn into addiction. Accessing to the Internet from many places, and university students' lesson hours are more flexible, making it easier for them to use this technology. This study aims to explore the role of Internet affinity and learned resourcefulness in predicting Internet addiction levels of university students. The sample of the study consists of 229 woman and 221 man, totally 441 students attending a state university in Istanbul. The data were collected through Young's Internet Addiction Test-Short Form, Internet Affinity Scale, Rosenbaum’s Learned Resourcefulness Scale and Personal Information. Multiple linear regression analysis was used in the analysis of the data. From research findings, university students’ Internet addiction positively correlates with Internet affinity but negatively with learned resourcefulness. In addition, Internet affinity and learned resourcefulness predict Internet addiction. In line with these findings, planing individual and group work for young adults on topics such as healthy Internet use, time management, and self-regulation can be recommended. The fact that the Internet has a rapidly developing technology for new studies to be carried out brings the necessity of constantly updating the definitions used and the concepts researched.