Cultural Phenomena intersects with Digital Technology!

So this is truly interesting.. I have just learned the difference in Eastern vs Western cultures.  China is a collective culture - meaning they are more concerned with family community and groups than individualistic.  The US is considered individualistic, not so much family group and/or community as a whole.  How does this translate in the digital world regarding social networking sites (SNS)?

Interestingly there is a cultural difference!  In the article, Cultural differences in social media site use:  A comparative study of China and the United States, it turns out, China spends less time on SNS usage than the United States.  This is due to their need to interact and be a part of a family, group atmosphere. Where as the United States are more individualistic, spending more time on SNS usage.

Over 400 college student participants from a Southwestern University in Chongqing, China, and 490 college participants from a Midwestern University in the US completed a survey about their use of SNSs – time spent, importance and motives for use. (Jackson, L; Wang, J. vol 29; issue 3, p.910-921; 2013).  Their findings do not surprise me as the collectivistic cultures (China) prioritize the importance of family, friends and their groups over SNS usage.  On the flip side the individualistic cultures (USA) spent more time on SNS usage as they are more concerned with the importance of "self" and "more" friends vs the closeness of friends.  Very interesting....

This is really all I could find on the cultural differences.  Other then the format and types of SNS is a little different as well.  Such as China prefers more pictures, emojis and soft pastel color texts for their SNS pages while the US uses more of text book color and not as many pictures.  Awww the beauty of diversity!  

I thought this was really interesting: here is some information on what different countries use the SNS for:

China: staying in touch with a friend is the most frequent use of social media

Japan: people use mainly social media to research products to buy. Japanese people have the least appetite for Facebook with 3% of users on it. The most popular Japanese platform is Ameba. It is visited  by 38% of Japanese people online. Blogging is very popular in Japan

South Korea: staying up-to-date on news and events was the most popular. South Korea is in the top ten markets in the world when it comes to internet population. Naver, is attracting 95 percent of the Korean Internet population.

India: researching for work topped the social media usage motivation. 70 percent of social media users in India identify Orkut as their preferred social media site.

Australia: staying in touch with friends is the most common activity. Australia leads the world in social media engagement, with the highest global average for time spent per month engaging with social media, averaging over seven hours per month. LinkedIn has seen one of the fastest growth trends amongst social media sites in Australia, with unique audience numbers increasing by 99 percent from July 2009 to May 2010

2-Europe: Facebook’s reach is the widest in Italy, (69%) followed by UK(66%) Spain(57%), France (57%)

U.K.: researching product purchases

France: staying in touch with friends is the dominating motivation

The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Russia: staying current on news and events leads the way

3-Americas:

Brazil’s motivation to use social media was unique and focused on “researching how to do things.”

The US, ranked researching products to buy as the number one motivation of social media activity. Watching video online is surprisingly low in the US compared to other regions.

References:

Cultural differences in social media site use:  A comparative study of China and the United States

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563212003299

I-Regional and country trends on purpose and ways of using social media

http://zestnzen.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/social-media-usage-across-cultures/

Smart phone Addiction...Could they be detrimental to our adolescents and young adults?

6 signs that you may be stressed out by your smart phone:

* You cannot help yourself to respond ASAP to calls, texts, likes on Facebook, and hearted on Instagram (to name a few social media sites).

* As use of smart phone activity increases, sleep decreases significantly.

* "Fear of Missing Out" other wise known as FOMO.

* Not paying attention to your friends and family.

* Feeling anxious and stressed when you are not around your phone.

* Poor grades in school or work due to the easy distraction and interference of your smart phone.

Does any of this sound familiar?   Smart phone usage is sky rocketing as we speak!  I am afraid to think of how the future will be.  We now have smart phones as watches!!!  Pretty soon there will be a chip installed in our ear and we will be hands free!  That's not true - I just made that up.  I just stumbled across this graph and the funny thing is I remember the first compact cell phone "razr flip phone"!  I had one!




I'm sure the percentages are even higher today in 2014 as adolescents who have grown up with a cell phone, and don't know life without it, are becoming young adults.

In a recent article in the Huffington Post,  Our Creepy Attachment to Cell Phones Could Be an Addiction, found that Research on the possibility of cell phone addiction is an emerging field, and a lot of it centers on the habits of the youngest millennials (now teens and young adults), a generation that can’t remember what it was like to not have a cell phone. A recent study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions found that female college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cell phones, while male students report spending nearly eight. The study also found that about 60 percent of study participants think they may be addicted to their cell phones.

“That’s astounding," said lead researcher James Roberts, Ph.D. in a press release about his research. “As cellphone functions increase, addictions to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology become an increasingly realistic possibility.” (Almendrala, A. 09/2014)

So as there may be addictive factors, as mentioned above, there is also the flip side.   This article opened my eyes to the fact that this could just be the "new normalcy" in our world. It's just a mere way of staying connected.  Smartphones can also help academically and most definitely helps us produce more at work - and faster communication as well.  

I think back to when I grew up.. Part of me thinks it was great not having a cell phone.  I didn't have to call my mother constantly to let her know where I was.  I have a 16yr old daughter and whenever she is not home I can always get in touch with her and if I have any suspicion - I ask her to take a pic and send it to me!  Ha Ha!!!

reference:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/05/cell-phone-addiction_n_5769730.html

Epidemic of Internet Addiction - Treatment is closer than you think!

          What does our future hold regarding treatment for Internet addiction?  With the increasing concerns of a growing epidemic of Internet Addiction, we will have a great need for treatment center.
How do you know if you are addicted?

 Here are some signs:

* Neglecting your family and friends.
* Find yourself spending more and more time on the internet
* Not interested in your normal activities
* Feelings of anxiety and/or depression if you cannot access the internet
* Hiding to engage in the internet

I would like to introduce Kimberly Young, PhD.   She is a world expert on Internet Addiction disorder and a Professor of Management Scientists at St. Bonaventure University in NY.  Her passion to help people on the extreme spectrum of internet addiction became apparent when her good friend's marriage dissolved due to her husband spending 50hrs week on the internet. She knew she had to do something.

In 1995, she founded the Center for Internet Addiction, and as the World Wide Web became more ubiquitous, her phone started to ring. "I received calls every week asking if I knew of a clinic or hospital to treat this condition, but there weren't any in the U.S.," Young told Fast Company. Hullinger, J. 2013.  

There are many "Digital Detox" centers across the U.S. however, they do not have a hospital setting, nor do the diagnose the underlying problem and prescribe medication.  This is where Young's treatment centers differ and also, to be admitted you must have severe internet addiction.  Everyone has different needs.   Young's approach and research methods begins with cognitive behavior therapy treatment plan for internet addicts as well as focus on the individuals needs.  Therapy sessions are imperative so the patients understand what their addictions stem from and how to cope with it.  After 10 days of treatment, patients are re-introduced to their digital devices and hopefully have the discipline and the desire to limit their time on the internet.

Young's research and treatment facility, The Bradford Regional Medical Program in PA,  has been acknowledged by NBC's Today Show and many other networks as well.

Here is the clip on The Today Show:

how  -



References:

Net Addiction "The Center for Internet Addiction..."your source since 1995"
www.netaddiction.com/Kimberly-Young/

Now there’s a hospital - based treatment facility for Internet Addicts by Jessica Hullinger
retrieved from: http://www.fastcompany.com/3016082/now-theres-a-hospital-based-treatment-facility-for-internet-addicts

Social Media Addiction Risks

Social Media Addiction Risks

Any where you go, look around... Most people are on their phones, if not talking to someone, they are texting - and/or on Facebook, not even looking where they are going.  This is a really serious concern.  I read an article where a couple who had a baby, were so involved in the internet social media that the child died of malnutrition!  This is outrageous to think that we could be that involved that we cannot function enough to take care of our children?  Everyday normal functions are disconnected.  This is a severe sign of addiction.

In the news article U.S. Students Suffering from Internet Addiction: Study, the risks of social media addiction are as relevant as someone who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.  There is more and more research on addiction to social media as there should be.  It is a learned behavior in which people just cannot get enough.  The more fixated, the more addicted.

According to a 2012 sturdy posted on National Institute of Health website, "Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances and social problems."  It is still NOT officially listed as a psychiatric disorder in the bible of psychiatric disease, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V).  Augenbraun, E, CBS/Aug2014.

So, as for treatment, it has been found by Psychiatric and Neruoscience studies, that 1% of the internet users in the world need treatment.  This is like a powerful drug that is actually creating neurological chemical stimulation.  For example, when we post on Facebook, we keep going back to look at how many "likes" we get.  This in turn causes the neural messengers in our brain to fire and  release the "feel good" dopamine chemicals.  It has also been found that internet addiction goes hand in hand with anxiety and depression.  There are treatments in other countries currently treating this addiction.  In Beijing, China, Daxing Internet Addiction Treatment Center treats teens with military like exercise and discipline. (Augenbraun, E.  CBSnews, 2014)  As for the U.S. we are not there yet.

references:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/04/23/us-internet-addicts-life-idUSTRE63M4QN20100423

Realizing the importance of discipline!

Hello everyone!

My name is Cressy King DeLong.  I am a single mother of 2 beautiful daughters, 2 fabulous golden doodle doggies and I am an avid runner, golfer, and love life in general and also pursuing my BS in Psychology at GMU.

My fascination lies in social media - addiction.  As you know may well know, we all spend more and more time online, whether it be social media, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc,  there is also online classes, research, personal finance institutions, work, and so on and so on.  Geee, what's for dinner... let me go online and look up recipes.  Before you know it, you've been online for over 2 hours as one site will somehow take you to another and another.  Not to mention the internet knows what you like!  It will post advertisements on the side column of your screen of the items you google and sites you visit!  Amazing isn't it?

What would we do without the internet????  How did we ever survive before it? When does it become an addiction?  We must set limits for our children and ourselves in order to not get swept up and lost in the world wide web.