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Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning

Received: 23 February 2015     Accepted: 24 February 2015     Published: 6 March 2015
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Abstract

This study applied online disinhibition effect [1] to examine perceived psychological benefits (PPB) derived from computer-mediated communication (CMC). The models examined the relationship between psychological health (loneliness, self-esteem and social anxiety) and CMC for social interaction (to seek romantic/sexual relationships and emotional/social support), compulsive internet use (CIU) and PPB derived from CMC. Group comparisons across sex were also examined. The sample included 167 (47 men and 120 women) university students from Malaysia. Results suggest loneliness, low self-esteem and social anxiety in men can help explain CIU. For women, only social anxiety explains CIU. However, group comparison indicated that socially anxious men were less likely to be compulsive Internet users. Contrary to expectation, CMC for social interaction was perceived as a negative influence to psychological functioning by men and women. Results further suggest that women’s PPB from using CMC to seek emotional/social support was significantly less compared to men’s. Bidirectional relationship was indicated only in the men’s model between self-esteem with CIU, and self-esteem and CMC for romantic/sexual relationship.

Published in American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 4, Issue 3-1)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of University Students

DOI 10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12
Page(s) 7-14
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Compulsive Internet Use, Online Disinhibition Effect, Computer-Mediated Communication, Psychological Well-Being, Loneliness, Social Anxiety, Self-Esteem

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ming Sing Chai, Joyce Baptist. (2015). Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 4(3-1), 7-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12

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    ACS Style

    Ming Sing Chai; Joyce Baptist. Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2015, 4(3-1), 7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12

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    AMA Style

    Ming Sing Chai, Joyce Baptist. Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning. Am J Appl Psychol. 2015;4(3-1):7-14. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12,
      author = {Ming Sing Chai and Joyce Baptist},
      title = {Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning},
      journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3-1},
      pages = {7-14},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.s.2015040301.12},
      abstract = {This study applied online disinhibition effect [1] to examine perceived psychological benefits (PPB) derived from computer-mediated communication (CMC). The models examined the relationship between psychological health (loneliness, self-esteem and social anxiety) and CMC for social interaction (to seek romantic/sexual relationships and emotional/social support), compulsive internet use (CIU) and PPB derived from CMC. Group comparisons across sex were also examined. The sample included 167 (47 men and 120 women) university students from Malaysia. Results suggest loneliness, low self-esteem and social anxiety in men can help explain CIU. For women, only social anxiety explains CIU. However, group comparison indicated that socially anxious men were less likely to be compulsive Internet users. Contrary to expectation, CMC for social interaction was perceived as a negative influence to psychological functioning by men and women. Results further suggest that women’s PPB from using CMC to seek emotional/social support was significantly less compared to men’s. Bidirectional relationship was indicated only in the men’s model between self-esteem with CIU, and self-esteem and CMC for romantic/sexual relationship.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Computer-Mediated Communication and Its Influence on Psychological Functioning
    AU  - Ming Sing Chai
    AU  - Joyce Baptist
    Y1  - 2015/03/06
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12
    T2  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
    JF  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
    JO  - American Journal of Applied Psychology
    SP  - 7
    EP  - 14
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5672
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.s.2015040301.12
    AB  - This study applied online disinhibition effect [1] to examine perceived psychological benefits (PPB) derived from computer-mediated communication (CMC). The models examined the relationship between psychological health (loneliness, self-esteem and social anxiety) and CMC for social interaction (to seek romantic/sexual relationships and emotional/social support), compulsive internet use (CIU) and PPB derived from CMC. Group comparisons across sex were also examined. The sample included 167 (47 men and 120 women) university students from Malaysia. Results suggest loneliness, low self-esteem and social anxiety in men can help explain CIU. For women, only social anxiety explains CIU. However, group comparison indicated that socially anxious men were less likely to be compulsive Internet users. Contrary to expectation, CMC for social interaction was perceived as a negative influence to psychological functioning by men and women. Results further suggest that women’s PPB from using CMC to seek emotional/social support was significantly less compared to men’s. Bidirectional relationship was indicated only in the men’s model between self-esteem with CIU, and self-esteem and CMC for romantic/sexual relationship.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 3-1
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Social Science, Arts and Humanities, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  • Department School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

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