The article Internet use and well-being among college students: Beyond frequency of use reflects on the use of the Internet and the well-being of college students. According to Gordon et al. (2007), learners experience a critical shift in ideologies when they enroll in institutions. It is a change to adulthood where the students desire to explore new social phenomena, including friends, intimacy, and organizational relationships. Such transitions are marked by the use of the Internet as a contemporary avenue for social support. The Internet use has various consequences on learners which are shown in positive and negative contexts depending on the amount of time and the activities engaged online.
There are different kinds of uses of the Internet based on the interests of the person. They include interpersonal interaction, confidential messages, self-expression, leisure, and consumptive aims (Gordon et al., 2007). For adolescents, the study identifies entertainment, information, and interpersonal communication as the most frequent Internet use. Online guests can also participate in distance learning, research school work, or download materials. The study notes that the access to the Internet has specific consequences on individuals (Gordon et al., 2007). Gratification theory is adopted to show how the Internet has a unique satisfaction which explains the psychological results linked to the online presence. The research discloses how it has different ways in which it can gratify the needs.
Various individuals are deemed to suffer depression, and social anxiety follows the high levels of time spent on the Internet. Others have reduced communications with their families as they allocate more time for Internet-based activities. The positive results of the frequent use of the Internet include high social involvement, greater well-being, and better communication. However, Gordon et al. (2007) note that such positive influences depend on the personality and the levels of their social support. This study’s findings recommend assessing the possible moderators of the relationship between Internet consumption and its consequences.
The subjects used to complete the study were students selected from a commuter university. The sample participants in the investigation included freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The team was from an ethnically diverse population and their average education was between high school and college level (Gordon et al., 2007). The institutional review board approved the data collection process of the university. The researchers administered self-report questionnaires to the participants. The sample team participated in the study willfully with acknowledged consent.
College students are the most people identified to be using the Internet than any other population category. They are also the persons vulnerable to adjustment issues as they experience significant developmental and life changes. The research identifies that males access the Internet frequently and longer than females. They are also prone to adverse consequences, including depression and social anxiety from online access. While the Internet has more uses, the frequent reason for the access was interpersonal communication, entertainment, and downloading resources.
The Internet has varied consequences on users which can be positive or negative. Gordon et al., (2007) conducted the study to review the types of Internet use students engage in and their impacts. The findings disclose that the time an individual spent on the internet cannot be used to measure the impact it has on them. The activities which the population does online are what defines and triggers such consequences.
Reference
Gordon, C. F., Juang, L. P., & Syed, M. (2007). Internet use and well-being among college students: Beyond frequency of use. Journal of College Student Development, 48(6), 674–688. Web.