Exploring the Role of Demographics and Psychological Variables in Internet Addiction

Abstract

Background and Aim: In today’s fast changing world, the Internet plays a major role in people’s lives. Apart from its benefits, the Internet also has serious negative consequences which include the issue of Internet addiction. This study explores the role of demographics (e.g., age, gender, and occupational position) in relation to Internet addiction. In addition, the influence of individual psychological variables (loneliness, shyness, and proactive personality) on Internet addiction was also examined. Methods: A structured questionnaire consisting of items representing loneliness, shyness, proactiveness, Internet addiction, and demographics was used to collect the data from 1,000 working adults in selected organizations. Chi-square tests were used to investigate the effect of gender, age, and occupational positions on Internet addiction. The influence of variables such as loneliness, shyness, and proactiveness on Internet addiction was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results: The results demonstrated no significant differences in terms of Internet addiction between the genders. However, significant differences were found in Internet addiction depending on age and occupational positions. The study also found positive relationship between loneliness, shyness, proactiveness, and Internet addiction. Conclusion: The findings of this study add empirical evidence to the existing literature in respect of the correlation between age, gender, occupational position, psychological characteristics (loneliness, shyness, and proactiveness), and Internet addiction.