An Investigation of the Problematic Internet Use of Teacher Candidates Based on Personality Types, Shyness and Demographic Factors

Abstract Researches proved that a new psychological disorder of problematic Internet use was associated with individual characteristics as loneliness, shyness, anxiety, depression, personality type, and self-cognition. But there appears to be little consensus about Problematic Internet Use disorder. Consequently aim of study was to investigate correlation between Problematic Internet Use and individual characteristics. The research was carried out in Kafkas University, department of Turkish Education, elementary science education, classroom teaching, psychological counseling and guidance and early childhood education with 453 students. Problematic Internet Use Scale, The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Shyness Scale were administered to study. In conclusion as a result of research carried out, it was determined that there was a significant relationship between gender and department and this effect on duration of weekly Internet use and problematical Internet use, but that location Internet was connected to did not have any effect on problematical Internet use. While there was no significant relationship between class levels, there was a significant relationship between age at which Internet was initially used and lower dimension of excessive problematical Internet use. When problematical Internet use was examined for change dependent on Internet use objectives, it was determined that students that played on-line games, chatted on Internet and downloaded programs from Internet were more liable to problematical Internet use. When it was examined whether personality types (lying, extraversion, neuroticism, introversion, psychosis) and shyness were precursors to problematical Internet use it was seen that, lying neuroticism and social benefit and Internet's negative effects were significant predictors of problematical Internet use and excessive use. In conclusion of research it was seen that extraversion and psychosis were not predictors both in terms of problematical Internet use total points and also lower dimensions as well. Key Words Problematic Internet Use, Personality Type, Shyness, Gender. Using Internet has rapidly become widespread, and it is attracting attention of researchers not only with its for its positive impact on education, communication, occupational development, free time activities, and creativity (Brenner, 1997; Kraut et al., 1998; Kubey, Lavin, & Barrows, 2001; Kuhlemeier & Hemker, 2007; Parks & Roberts, 1998), as well as its more negative impact in fields of excessive computer use, invasion of privacy, violence in some games, and Internet addiction (Rice & Markey, 2009). Emphasizing negative impact of Internet researchers have revealed that excessive Internet use can turn into an addiction and this can harm social relationships and persons that use Internet excessively gradually reduce their communication with their family and friends while placing more importance on friendships and relations in this virtual medium (Brenner, 1997; Parks & Robert, 1998; Young, 2004). Even though Internet use for ill intentions or excessive Internet use is referred as Internet ad diction or problematic Internet use in literature, no consensus has been reached to describe this pattern yet. Therefore, same pattern is also named as pathological Internet use, compulsive Internet use (Widyanto & Griffiths, 2006), cyberspace addiction, online addiction, and net addiction (Davis, Flett, & Besser, 2002; Hur, 2006) as well. The problematic Internet use is defined as the individual is not able to repress their desire for excessive Internet use and feels anxiety and burden when deprived, and this situation in turn affects their daily lives adversely (Douglas et. al, 2008). Goldberg (Young, 1998) describes compulsive and excessive Internet use initially as neurotic and irritable state when deprived. …