Abstract

Psychologists can use questionnaires to assess personality traits that are correlated with self reported Internet use and misuse. Usage reflects technological predispositions, for example, gender, education, computer anxiety, accessibility, and preexisting tendencies (for example, lonely people appear to engage in more solitary activities). Indeed it is a measure of the degree of acceptance of the Internet that this technology has been described as addictive. For some individuals, Internet use has assumed problematic levels, occupying an inappropriate proportion of their time. The misuse of the Internet is liable to arise from problems of self control and potentially can be explained by the behavioral addictions. Problematic Internet use is associated with low esteem, and within the workplace it is linked to tendencies to procrastinate. From this viewpoint, when considering workplace Internet misuse, the technology tends to be an offence facilitator or documenter. While there is debate as to the nature of addiction and also as to the addictive nature of the Internet, the literature on the behavioral addictions serves as a useful starting point for considering problematic Internet use.