Online recreation: The relationship between loneliness, Internet self-efficacy and the use of the Internet for entertainment purposes

Authors:
Monica T. Whitty;Deborah McLaughlin
Affiliations:
School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Northern Ireland BT7 1NN, UK;School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Northern Ireland BT7 1NN, UK
Venue:
Computers in Human Behavior
Year:
2007

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Abstract

In this study, 150 undergraduates answered questions about their Internet usage and completed a loneliness and an Internet self-efficacy questionnaire. A factor analysis of the Internet usage items revealed three facets of online recreation, including, using the Internet for: computer-based entertainment, to facilitate offline entertainment, and for information about the entertainment world. Those who scored higher on loneliness were more likely to use the Internet for computer-based entertainment, as well as, use the Internet to obtain information about the entertainment world. Individuals higher in Internet self-efficacy were more likely to use the Internet for computer-based entertainment and to facilitate offline entertainment. Implications for the study of the psychological influences of the Internet are discussed in this paper.