The Relationship between Internet and Computer Game Level and Shyness among High School Students

Tuncay AYASa

Abstract

Key Words

Recently, the fast developments occurred due to the devices. Likewise, according to the data gathered technological developments provide people with 23.8 % of world population, 74.2% of American the facility of accessing and sharing information society, 48.9% of Europe population and 35% of instantly. Among the technological developments Turkey population use Internet (Internet World computer and the internet take place as well. In a Stats [IWS], 2009). With the rise in the Internet and society, like everyone needs to use computer and computer use rate, peoples’ time allocated for com- the internet, some problems come along because of puter has risen accordingly. Excessive use of the the misuse and the frequency of use. Internet and computer brings the risk of computer/ Internet addiction along (Chou, Condron, & Bel- Excessive use of computer and the internet among land, 2005; Lee et al., 2007; Watson, 2005). Internet the school age children- who are eager to learn addiction can be roughly de#ned as the inability of technological developments- has a negative e!ect resistance for using the Internet excessively, seeing on young adults’ psychological, physical, academ- the time spent outside the virtual environment as a ic success, which possibly give way to addiction loss of time, being very furious and aggressive when (Kubey, Lavin, & Barrow, 2001; Young, 1996). deprived of, deteriorating of the person’s work, In this technological era, the internet and computer social and family life (Young, 2004). When the have become the most o"en used technological prevalence of the studies done about the Internet addiction is checked, it is seen that the prevalence a Tuncay AYAS, Ph.D., is between 6-14% (Chou & Hsiao, 2000; Kraut et al., 1998; Young & Rogers, 1998). In this context, excessive use of the online communication, online games or other excessive uses can be the #rst signals of Internet-computer addiction (Fleming & Rick- wood, 2004; Watson, 2005).Computer games have become one of the most important entertainment tools for children (Horzum, 2011). AYAS

Shy people tend to be alone much more than the need and lack from the people who are online, ones who are not shy. Shyness which e!ects the even if it is temporarily. While adults use the communication between people negatively causes Internet as a tool for their work, such as get- people who have communication problems to be ting required information; teenagers (13–19) alone (Cheek & Buss, 1981). When the people who use it for playing computer games, listening to use the Internet excessively are studied, it is seen music and getting to know new people (Kubey that these people tend to be extremely sensitive to et al., 2001). There is a difference between the the possible disappointments in their relations with introvert and extravert people in terms of using the other people and this mood causes them to be technological tools. Henderson and Zimbardo very anxious about communicating with others (2005) have found out in their studies for use (Whang, Lee, & Chang, 2003). "e Internet is used of technology and shyness among the teenagers for not being alone and communicating with oth- that shy people use the technology more often ers by some people. Especially shy, introvert people than the ones who are not introvert. Review of use the Internet to have social relations and manage the literature showed that there is no study in these relations as a way of socialize (Davis, Flett, the domain of the relationship between com- & Beser, 2002). Studies have shown that these shy puter games addiction and shyness. However, people who have di#culty in having social support Loton (2007) has studied a group of people who in their real lives, use the Internet’s interactive func- are computer games addicts and seen that there tions, such as chat rooms very o$en (Young, 1999) is just one shy person in the group; so that, he Shy people experience more problems in their face states that there is no relationship between the to face relations than online ones (Ward & Tracey, addiction and shyness. In the survey mentioned 2004). In a virtual context people tend to use nick- before (Henderson & Zimbardo), it can be said names, and know that the possibility of refusal or that shy people are assessed as potential addicts criticism is lower than face to face communica- as they use the Internet more often than the tion; so that they feel themselves more comfortable. others, so their span of time before a computer "erefore, possibly they use the Internet more and screen is expected to be more. more as a way of social communication. Shy people "e aim of this study is to determine the relation- generally highly tend to be computer addicts, be- ship between the internet and computer addiction cause they use messenger programs, news groups level and shyness among the teenagers. Whether and chat room more o$en than the others (Chak shyness and the Internet-computer games addic- & Leung, 2004). tion di!er in terms of gender and choice of game is The results of the studies done for checking also dealt with in this study. whether there is a relationship between the shyness and the Internet addiction show that there is a correlation between the two (Chak Method & Leung, 2004; Ebeling-Witte, Frank, & Les- "e study was conducted based on general survey ter, 2007; Güneri, Mesutoğlu, & Aydın, 2011; model. General survey models in a universe com- Hollingswort, 2006; Yang & Tung, 2007; Yuen posed of many elements to arrive at a generally & Lavin, 2004). Scealy, Phillips, and Steven- judgment about the universe is the arrangements son (2002) express that there is no relationship of the scan performed on a sample of the universe to between the Internet and the shyness, but shy be taken. Relational scanning models are the people use the Internet in order to commu- researches to determine the exchange between two nicate with others more. People who are not or more number of variables (Karasar, 1995). In addicts use the computer generally for access- this study, individual survey model was selected ing information and keeping in touch with to investigate the relationship between the levels their existing friends; whereas the addict use of Internet and game addiction and shyness in a it in order to make new friends, socialize and randomly selected group. exchange ideas (Young, 1997). Middle East Technical University – North Cyprus Cam- pus- Student Development and Psychological Study Group Consulting Centre (2008) states that introvert "e population of the study consists of 8485 high personality raises the risk of computer addic- school students whose schools are around Giresun tion, as well. With the help of the Internet, city centre. With this fact in mind, sampling of the people are able to get the social support they

633 study includes 176 girls and 189 boys who are high Validity studies of shyness scale have been per- school students in the second term of 2008- 2009 formed by Güngör (2001). In order to determine academic year. construct validity of the scale, analysis of principal components has been applied. Although, at the end of the analysis it is seen that 20 items are gathered Instrument around three factors, total number of the items In the study the tool developed by Ayas, Balta, and are gathered under the #rst factor. For the validity Horzum (2011) ‘Scale for Adolescents’ Computer studies, some similar scales are also used and ‘Self- Addiction’ is used. For the comments on computer Assessment Form in a Social Context’ (SAFSC) has games addiction tests, Likert type 5 gradation is been also applied. Both scales have been applied to used. !is gradation is: ‘always ‘5’, usually ‘4’, o"en a group of 84 university students and the correla- ‘3’, sometimes ‘2’, and hardly ‘1’. tion coe%cient between the two is calculated. !e correlation between ‘Avoidance’ and ‘Social Anxi- !e scale consists of 54 items and two factors, #rst ety’ dimensions of the scale and shyness scale is of which includes 28 items. !e items’ values factor found as .71, and the correlation between shyness loadings change between .512 and .792. !e factor and avoidance is calculated as .78. !e scale’s valid- re$ecting 29.49% of the total variance is called ‘the ity studies for high school students have been per- Internet Addiction’. !e second factor on the scale formed by Gökçe (2002). !e correlation coe%cient consists of 26 items. !e items’ values for the sec- between shyness scale and level of SAFSC ond factor loadings change between .424 and .788. is .75, shyness and avoidance level is .72, and the !e factor re$ecting 19.13% of the total variance is correlation coe%cient between the total points of called ‘Computer Games Addiction’. anxiety and avoidance is .75. At the end of the fac- In order to check the reliability of the scale Cron- tor analysis, the scale’s #rst factor re$ects 29.18% of bach Alfa internal-consistency coe%cient has been variance (Gökçe). calculated. At the end of internal-consistency tests, the sub factor’s, which is called the Internet addic- tion, internal consistency modulus is .96 and the Data Collection and Analysis sub factor’s, which is called computer games addic- In analysing the data, in order to determine the pre- tion, internal consistency modulus is calculated .95. ferred game variables, t-test is used for gender dif- !e scale’s total internal consistency which consists ferences and correlation method is preferred for the of 54 items is found out to be .95. relationship between internet and computer games In the study, Turkish adoption of ‘Shyness Scale’, and shyness. All resolutions of the study which is developed originally by Cheek and Buss are performed with the help of SSPS pack program (1981) is used. !e Turkish form was adapted by and the level of signi#cance is accepted as .05. Güngör in 2001. Each item is graded as between 1-5 on the scale and then total points can be calculated. Results !e items has following points: ‘not for me’ (1), ‘not appealing’ (2), ‘I don’t know’ (3), ‘appeals to me’ (4), !e aim of this study was to determine the correlation ‘for me’ (5). !e lowest mark of the test is 20, and between shyness and the Internet-computer game ad- the highest one is 100. !e high mark taken from diction level among high school students, and study the the Shyness Scale points out that the person’s shy- di&erences in their shyness level in terms of gender and ness level is high, and it is commented as the person preference of games. Accordingly, as a #rst step the re- thinks him/herself as ‘shy’. lationship between shyness and the Internet-computer game addiction level is studied. Looking at the results In Turkey, the study of shyness scale was per- of the study, it is seen that there is a correlation between formed by Güngör (2001) with the help of in- the Internet and computer addiction; and another posi- ternal consistency and test-retest methods. The tive correlation between the Internet-computer addic- scale has been applied to 78 students twice with tion and shyness. !e #nding that there is a correlation the three week intervals, and the correlation co- between the Internet and shyness is consistent with the efficient is calculated as .83. Cronbach Alfa coef- studies done before (Chak & Leung, 2004; Ebeling-Witte ficient, which has been used to determine scale’s et al., 2007; Güneri et al., 2011; Hollingswort, 2006; Yang self-consistency, was found out to be .91. Gökçe’s & Tung, 2007; Yuen & Lavin, 2004). !e fact that com- (2002) studies show that Cronbach Alfa coeffi- puter games are usually played online is thought to be an cient is .87. e&ect on the positive relation between the Internet and

634 AYAS computer games addiction. !e Internet can also be as- References/Kaynakça sessed as a way of communication enabling people to "ZBT 5 #BMUB ±½WF Horzum, B..  &SHFOMFSJÎJO know di"erent people and keeping in touch with existing CJMHJTBZBSCBʓ‘NM‘M‘ʓ‘ÚMÎFʓJKastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 19   friends. In this study, it is found out that there is a positive  correlation between shyness and the Internet addiction $IBL , -FVOH -  4IZOFTTBOEMPDVTPGDPOUSPMBT as in the similar studies. Human beings as social organ- QSFEJDUPSTPG*OUFSOFUBEEJDUJPOBOE*OUFSOFUVTFCyber Psy- chology & Behavior, 7 o isms need to communicate and continue these relations $IFFL  + .   #VTT  " )   4IZOFTT BOE TPDJBCJMJUZ in order to lead a social life. If people do not have strong Journal of Personality and Social , 41  relationships, they can be isolated from the society and $IPV $ $POESPO - #FMMBOE +$  "SFWJFXPGUIF may have some problems. As they have di#culties in SFTFBSDIPOJOUFSOFUBEEJDUJPOEducational Psychology Review, having face to face relationships, shy people try to com- 17   municate with the help of the Internet and express their $IPV  $   )TJBP  . $   *OUFSOFU BEEJDUJPO  VTBHF  feelings and thoughts by doing so. !is state may have HSBUJĕDBUJPOBOEQMFBTVSFFYQFSJFODFćF5BJXBODPMMBHFTUV e"ect on building a correlation between the Internet and EFOUTDBTFComputer & Education, 35  shyness. Likewise, as computer games are played online, %BWJT 3" 'MFFU (- #FTTFS "  7BMJEBUJPOPGBOFX shy people can communicate easily with the others while NFBTVSFPGQSPCMFNBUJDJOUFSOFUVTF*NQMJDBUJPOTGPSQSFFNQMPZ NFOUTDSFFOJOHCyber Psychology & Behavior, 5   playing computer games. So, the relationship between &CFMJOH8JUUF 4 'SBOL .- -FTUFS %  4IZOFTT  shyness and computer games addiction is explained. JOUFSOFUVTF BOEQFSTPOBMJUZCyber Psychology & Behavior   During the research analysis, as not any studies about the  relationship between shyness and computer games ad- 'MFNJOH  .   3JDLXPPE  %   5FFOT JO DZCFSTQBDF diction, this study is thought to be bene$cial. Youth Studies Australia, 23   According to the results of the study, it is seen that (ÚLÎF 4  Determining the shyness level of high school students6OQVCMJTIFENBTUFSTUIFTJT (B[J6OJWFSTJUZ *OTUJUVUF the Internet- computer games level of boy students PG&EVDBUJPOBM4DJFODFT "OLBSB is higher than the girls. !is $nding is consistent (àOFSŔ :0 .FTVUPʓMV $WF"ZE‘O (  &LŔN Eğ"t"m with other studies done in the $eld (Chou & Hsiao, fakültes" öğrenc"ler"nde probleml" "nternet kullanımını yordamada 2000; Chou et al., 2005; Kubey et al., 2001). c"ns"yet, yaş, sosyal becer" ve utangaçlığın rolü9*1TŔLPMPKŔL%BO‘ʰ NBWF3FICFSMŔL,POHSFTŔOFTVOVMBOCŔMEŔSŔ ɗ[NŔS 5àSLŔZF As shy people have di#culty in face to face commu- (àOHÚS "  %FWFMPQJOHUIFTIZOFTTTDBMBoWBMJEJUZBOE nication, they usually prefer doing their activities SFMJBCJMJUZSFQPSUTTurkish Psychological Counseling and Guid- alone. Likewise, their preference of being alone with ance Magazine, 2   the Internet and computer activities has possibly an )FOEFSTPO - ;JNCBSEP '(  Shyness and technol- e"ect on this study. !e researches show that social ogy use in high school student 6OQVCMJTIFE NBTUFST UIFTJT  support decreases person’s Internet addiction (Na- 4UBOGPSE6OJWFSTJUZBOEUIF4IZOFTT*OTUJUVUF lwa & Anand, 2003). At schools, shy people need to )PMMJOHTXPSUI 8$  $e relationship between shyness be socially supported and placed in group activities and internet addiction: A quantitative study on middle and post secondary school students 3FUSJFWFE  'FCSVBSZ   GSPN in order to enhance their relationships with their http://phpfusion.cite.hku.hk/e-journal/articles/volume1/is- friends. If they are accepted as a part of a group, feel sue2/2/volume1_issue2_2.htm less anxiety about being criticized, shy people will )PS[VN  . #   İMLÚʓSFUJN öğreODJMFSJOJO CJMHJTBZBS be feeling more comfortable and feel themselves PZVOV CBʓ‘NMılıL Eà[FZMFSJOJO çeşitli EFʓJʰLFOMFSF HÚSF JODF better. !ese experiences will help them to lead a MFONFTJEğitim ve Bilim, 39   life which is more comfortable, peaceful and easy- *OUFSOFU8PSME4UBUT *84   Usage and population sta- tistics3FUSJFWFE+VMZ GSPNIUUQXXXJOUFSOFUXPSME going. Parents may not have any clues about their TUBUTDPN children’s’ problems. !ese children are generally ,BSBTBS  /  . Research techniques: Notions, principles, seen as decent and well-behaved. Sometimes, par- techniques UIFE "OLBSB"3FTFBSDI&EVDBUJPO$PVOTFM ents may encourage their children to use computers JOH-UE more as they cannot disturb them and have prob- ,SBVU 3 1BUUFSTPO . -VOENBSL 7 ,JFTMFS 4 .VLPQI lems while playing on computers. !ese children BEIZBZ  5  4DIFSMJT  8   *OUFSOFU QBSBEPY " TPDJBM meet their needs with the help of the online people, UFDIOPMPHZUIBUSFEVDFTTPDJBMJOWPMWFNFOUBOEQTZDIPMPHJDBM XFMMCFJOH American Psychologist, 53  they do not need real friends and they do not have any ideas about how to play with real friends. For ,VCFZ 38 -BWJO .+ #BSSPXT +3  *OUFSOFUVTF BOEDPMMFHJBUFBDBEFNJDQFSGPSNBODFEFDSFNFOUT&BSMZĕOE these reasons, parents should control the children’s’ JOHTJournal of Communication, 51   time spent on computers and provide contexts for -FF .4 ,P :) 4POH )4 ,XPO ,) -FF )4 /BN  their children to play with their real friends. .FUBM  $IBSBDUFSJDUJDTPGJOUFSOFUVTFJOSFMBUJPOUP HBNFHFOSFJO,PSFBOBEPMFTDFOUTCyber Psychology & Behav- ior, 10  

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-PUPO  %   addiction, self esteem & social skills3FUSJFWFE'FCSVBSZ GSPNIUUQXXXUIBJOEJBO DPNOFXTQPSUBMIFBMUIWJEFPHBNFTBEEJDUTBSFOPTIZ OFSET@IUNM .JEEMF &BTU 5FDIOJDBM 6OJWFSTJUZ o /PSUI $ZQSVT $BNQVT 4UVEFOU %FWFMPQNFOU BOE 1TZDIPMPHJDBM $POTVMUJOH $FOUSF  Misuse of the Internet and the ways to cope with it3F USJFWFE  'FCSVBSZ   GSPN http://www.nccogpdm.metu. edu.tr/Brouser-09.pdf /BMXB , "OBOE "  *OUFSOFUBEEJDUJPOBNPOHTUV EFOUT"DBVTFPGDPODFSOCyberPsychology & Behavior, 6    4DFBMZ . 1IJMMJQT +( 4UFWFOTPO 3  4IZOFTTBOE BOYJFUZBTQSFEJDUPSTPGQBUUFSOTPGJOUFSOFUVTBHF. Cyber Psy- chology & Behavior, 5   :BOH 4$ 5VOH $+  $PNQBSJTPOPGJOUFSOFUBE EJDUTBOEOPOBEEJDUTJO5BJXBOFTFIJHITDIPPMComputers in Human Behavior, 23 o :PVOH ,4  1TZDIPMPHZPGDPNQVUFSVTF9-"EEŔDUŔWF VTFPGUIFŔOUFSOFU"DBTFUIBUCSFBLTUIFTUFSFPUZQFPsycholo- g!cal Reports, 79  :PVOH ,4  "VHVTU What makes the !nternet add!ct!ve: Potent!al explanat!ons for Patholog!cal Internet Use, Un!vers!ty of P!ttsburgh at Bradford1BQFSQSFTFOUFEBUUIFUIBOOVBM DPOGFSFODFPGUIF"NFSŔDBO1TZDIPMPHŔDBM"TTPDŔBUŔPO $IŔDB HP *- :PVOH ,4  . *OUFSOFUBEEŔDUŔPO4ZNQUPNT FWBMVBUŔPO  BOEUSFBUNFOU*O-7BOEF$SFFL5+BDLTPO &ET Innovat!- ons !n cl!n!cal pract!ce: A source book QQ 4BSBTPUB '- 1SPGFTTŔPOBM3FTPVSDF1SFT :PVOH ,4  *OUFSOFUBEEŔDUŔPOAmer!can Behav!or Sc!- ence 48  :PVOH ,4 3PHFST 3$  ćFSFMBUŔPOTIŔQCFUXFFO EFQSFTTŔPOBOEŔOUFSOFUBEEŔDUŔPOCyberPsychol & Behav!or, 1,  :VFO $/ -BWŔO .+  *OUFSOFUEFQFOEFODFŔOUIF DPMMFHŔBUFQPQVMBUŔPOćFSPMFPGTIZOFTTCyber Psychology & Behav!or, 7   8IBOH  - 4  -FF  4   $IBOH  (   *OUFSOFU PWFS VTFSTQTZDIPMPHŔDBMQSPGŔMFT"CFIBWŔPSTBNQMŔOHBOBMZTŔTPO ŔOUFSOFUBEEŔDUŔPOCyberPsychol & Behav!or, 6  8BSE $$ 5SBDFZ 5+(  3FMBUŔPOPGTIZOFTTXŔUI BTQFDUT PG POMŔOF SFMBUŔPOTIŔQ ŔOWPMWFNFOU. Journal of Soc!al and Personal Relat!onsh!ps, 21 o 8BUTPO +$  *OUFSOFUBEEŔDUŔPOEŔBHOPTŔTBOEBTTFTT NFOU*NQMŔDBUŔPOTGPSDPVOTFMPSTJournal of Profess!onal Co- unsel!ng: Pract!ce, "eory, & Research, 33  

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