Religiosity, adolescent Internet usage motives and addiction

Abstract

Based on secularization theory, this paper analyzes religiosity's relationship with youths' Internet addiction tendencies via possible mediating Internet usage motivations (erotic, social, communication, entertainment and psychological escape). Using self-report questionnaire scales in a study of 1,596 Malaysian adolescent school students, a negative relationship between religiosity and Internet addiction tendency was found to be replicable for females across all four religions studied (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity). However, no such relationship was found for any of the corresponding male groups. This finding is discussed in terms of females being more likely than males to experience the spiritual element of religion and to adhere more to religious norms. The female religiosity – addiction relationship was found to be mediated by psychological escape motives for three of the four religious groups, and erotic motives for two of the groups. The former finding supports a previous claim that escape motives are a prime driver of Internet addictions. It is concluded that, via its prediction of religiosity's negative relationships with Internet usage, secularization theory plays a role in explaining lower likelihood of Internet addiction among more highly religious females, the finding being limited to females because of differing cross-gender socialization pressures.

Keywords:

• Internet addiction
• religiosity
• motivation
• gender

Notes

Although the present focus is not on religious and gender differences for each of the variables studied, note that a MANOVA, follow-up ANOVAs and post hoc (Games Howell) analyses with the motives as dependent variables showed that Buddhists had greater social interaction, escape and erotic motives than Muslims, and that males had greater erotic motives than females. Also, ANOVAs and post hoc analyses with religiosity and Internet addiction as dependent variables showed greater religiosity in Muslims than in the other religions, lesser religiosity in Buddhists than in the other religions, and greater religiosity for females than for males. These analyses also showed that Buddhists and Christians obtained significantly greater addiction scores than both Muslims and Hindus, and greater Internet addiction scores for males compared to females.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John P. Charlton

John P. Charlton, PhD, is a Reader in Psychology with research interests in computer-related behaviors and attitudes.

Patrick C-H. Soh

Patrick C-H. Soh, PhD, is a Lecturer with research interests in business, the Internet and electronic commerce. He is also a visiting scholar at the Singapore Internet Research Centre, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and would like to express his gratitude to the Singapore Internet Research Centre, Nanyang Technological University.

Peng Hwa Ang

Peng Hwa Ang, PhD, has research interests in Internet governance and media law and policy.

Kok-Wai Chew

Kok-Wai Chew, PhD, is an Associate Professor with research interests in Internet-related behaviors, organizational behavior and human resource management.