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| Internet addicts likely to be white males |
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| BY MARTIN CZERNOWALOW, ITWEB SENIOR JOURNALIST |
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| [Johannesburg, 3 January 2006] -
Most South African Internet addicts are male (91%), white (84%) and between the ages of 24 and 29 (39%), a study has found.According to the Wits University / ITWeb Internet Addiction Survey 2005, most Internet addicts also work in the IT sector (48%), have a diploma (31%) and have Internet access both at work and at home (40%).The study, conducted by Dr Andrew Thatcher of the university's Psychology Department and psychology masters student Gisela Wretschko, is based on 1 399 usable responses to a survey that was active on ITWeb for two weeks in November 2005.Addictions and tendenciesIn this study, it was found that 3% of respondents fell into the category of “Internet addicts”, but a larger number of respondents have a “tendency towards Internet addiction” (37%). The majority of the respondents (60%) appear to be using the Internet responsibly and to be balancing their Internet use with their other life responsibilities.In contrast, a 2002 survey of 1 795 respondents found 5% to be Internet addicts.“It is clear that there has been a decline in the amount of Internet addicts. A decline has also been noted in the amount of female Internet addicts,” Thatcher and Wretschko conclude.“In the 2002 survey, 30% of Internet addicts were female compared to only 9% in the current survey. Similarities found in both the surveys are that the majority of Internet addicts are white, young and are working in the IT sector. In the 2002 survey the highest proportion of Internet addicts came from the age group 19 to 24. In the current survey they are from the 24 to 29 age group.”But Thatcher and Wretschko maintain that it is difficult to draw anything conclusive out of the industry sector details – the majority of Internet addicts are from the IT sector, but the majority of the sample also comes from the IT sector.The report points out that Internet Addiction Disorder is a term used to describe people who have become psychologically addicted to the Internet or one aspect of the Internet, which may result in the “addict” suffering from emotional, social and even physical harm. In this sense, Internet Addiction Disorder is similar to compulsive-use disorders or impulse control disorders such as pathological gambling.“An Internet addict also isn't defined purely by the number of hours that they spend online. Rather, an Internet addict is someone whose excessive use of the Internet leads to adverse physical or emotional consequences or physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms when they are not online,” state the researchers.
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