AUTHOR(S): 

Octavian Vasiliu, Daniel Vasile

TITLE

Social Network Sites Addiction - A New Challenge for New Times

KEYWORDS

social network sites, Facebook addiction, Internet addiction, post-modernism, communication, reward system, dopamine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, self-help

ABSTRACT

Over 100 social network sites are currently available to the Internet users, and this number is continuously increasing. A real paradigmatic shift in the realm of communication could be described by switching from off-line, real-world, to on-line communication, through the use of laptops, cell phones, tablets etc. Therefore, interpersonal exchange of information has become more and more technology-mediated, and this aspect of the contemporary culture is not without consequences in more domains than the usual, daily, conversation. Psychometric instruments for the measuring social network sites addiction have been created and applied in variated cultures and population. Mechanisms of reward and gratification are the most supported pathogenetic substrates of social network sites addiction. A number of demographic variables and personality factors have been associated with a higher risk for this behavioural addiction. Reliable data about social network sites addiction treatment are lacking, and most of the information about therapeutic intervention for this condition is derived from the Internet addiction research. However, it must be kept in mind that social network sites addiction is form of specific Internet addiction, therefore subtle differences in the structure and monitoring of the therapeutic interventions could be anticipated.

Cite this paper

Octavian Vasiliu, Daniel Vasile. (2017) Social Network Sites Addiction - A New Challenge for New Times. International Journal of Internet of Things and Web Services, 2, 84-88