Internet Psychology
53 Articles & Excerpts
Adolescents in Cyberspace
by John Suler, Ph.D.
What draws adolescents to the world of the internet? What are the benefits and dangers of their exploring this new realm that may very well become a cornerstone of the new millennium into which they will grow as adults? What Makes Adolescents Tick.
Transient and Long Term Online Relationships
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Some have criticized cyberspace as a realm of superficial and/or transient relationships. While these do indeed exist, they nevertheless form a cornerstone of the cyberspace experience and are therefore worthy of psychological investigation.
E-Mail Communication and Relationships, Part 2
by John Suler, Ph.D.
An e-mail message can be dissected into seven components: (1) the sender's name as indicated in your inbox, (2) the subject line, as indicated in your inbox, (3) the greeting that introduces the body of the message, (4) the body of message, including quot
Group games using avatars
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Because you chose to link to this page, you probably already know what an avatar is. But just in case you don't, an avatar is an image or graphic that a person in an online multimedia community uses to represent him or herself. In some communities
Human Becomes Electric: Networks as Mind and Self
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Psychological and philosophical research can approach the rather fascinating question as to how the internet itself possesses a personality. Old-timers, for example, often lament how the character of the net is changing as new and different types
Personality Types in Cyberspace
by John Suler, Ph.D.
The basic psychological features of online environments shape how people and groups behave in those realms. But that's only half the story. Online behavior will always be determined by how those features interact with the characteristics of the people in
Speak No Evil: Deviance Involving Offensive Language. Managing deviant online behavior, Part 3
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Indecent language is another deviant behavior that spans the range from mild to severe. Relatively benign examples involve colorful expressions in which less than polite words are used to convey emphasis and emotion.
Online Therapy and Support Groups
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Of particular interest to clinical and social psychologists are those groups with a therapeutic, remedial, or supportive aim. These could include formal group therapy led by professionals, as well as self-help organizations.
Cyberspace as Dream World, Part 2: Dreams about Palace
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Because we have been exploring the parallels between cyberspace and dreams, it makes sense to focus on dreams ABOUT cyberspace. Here I'd like to describe some dreams that users have had about the Palace. Generally speaking, you know something has activate
Conflict in Cyberspace: How to Resolve Conflict Online
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Have you ever noticed how conflict can get blown out of proportion online? What may begin as a small difference of opinion, or misunderstanding, becomes a major issue very quickly. Conflict can be difficult at the best of times but what is it about online
E-Mail Communication and Relationships, Part 3
by John Suler, Ph.D.
On the positive side, the beauty of e-mail is that you have the opportunity to contact people from around the world. The challenge, however, is that people from around the world have different customs for conversing and developing relationships.
Managing deviant behavior in online groups
by John Suler, Ph.D.
SNERT... That's what they call the real trouble-makers of cyberspace. Attributed by some to Kurt Vonnegut, the term stands for snot-nosed Eros-ridden teenager. It concisely captures much of what many cyberspace deviants are all about.
Psychological Dynamics of Online Synchronous Conversations in Text-Driven Chat Environments
by John Suler, Ph.D.
In the beginning, there was TextTalk. And only TextTalk. Now that the internet has become multimedia, sounds and images also are whizzing by us. But even with the advent of video and audio streaming, typed text continues to reign supreme as the primary
Regressive behavior in cyberspace
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Talking on the Internet, people regress. It's that simple. That's how Holland begins his paper. And then he proceeds to back up his statement with an intriguing psychoanalytic (emphasizing drive theory) analysis of what he considers the three major signs
Cyberspace Humor
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Truth comes out in jest. In other words, jokes can be silly and funny at the same time as revealing some serious truths. This cartoon from the Atlanta Constitution is a good example. It pokes fun at the issue of internet addiction - which looms large as
The Psychology of Coping with Spam
by John Suler, Ph.D.
In the early days, people on the Internet eagerly encouraged communication. They wanted to share ideas in an inviting, trusting atmosphere. As the population in cyberspace boomed - as large chunks of the internet took shape as market place, soapbox
Transference to computers and cyberspace
by John Suler, Ph.D.
Think of your husband or wife, or your romantic relationship, or a close friend. Think about some important characteristic of that individual's personality - a characteristic or trait in that person to which you have a strong emotional reaction, positive
Techno-Crimes (Hacking): Managing deviant online behavior, Part 5
by John Suler, Ph.D.
All online deviant behavior requires some degree of technical skill because it is being expressed via a computer. What I'll call techno-crimes, on the other hand, require a bit more knowledge and skill than the ordinary user possesses.
Communicative Subtlety in Multimedia Chat
by John Suler, Ph.D.
By their very nature, humans love to communicate. They love to express themselves. They love to explore subtlety in communicating and expressing themselves. In the real world of five senses, people freely can experiment with language, voice modulation
Bringing Online and Offline Living Together: The Integration Principle
by John Suler, Ph.D.
If there are any universally valid principles in psychology, one of them must be the importance of integration: the fitting together and balancing of the various elements of the psyche to make a complete, harmonious whole.
| 