Internet could be addictive, Pitt study says

By Marla Hackett
Daily Staff Reporter

University students are no strangers to long lines - especially while waiting at computing sites. Some of these students don't anticipate working on term papers or assignments, but instead e-mailing and Web surfing.

A study conducted by the University's Information Technology Division in spring 1996 showed that students spend an average of 1-4 hours per week corresponding on e-mail, and another 1-2 hours per week surfing the World Wide Web.

But the popularity of the Internet may be more than a form of entertainment; according to a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh, the Internet can also be addictive.

"I would say there are things such as (Internet Relay Chat) that can be addicting ... surfing the Web too," said Ed Slonina, a computer systems specialist at Angell Hall.

IRC is an interactive forum where typed conversations are instantly relayed between participants.

The implications of the Internet as an addiction raise questions about the effects of getting overwhelmed in its web, researchers said.

"Just like any other form of entertainment, if you're not using it for academic purposes, it could affect your grades," said LSA senior Jennifer White.

Slonina said IRC can have a potent effect.

"Since I've been on IRC, I've heard people say that (their grades have been affected) especially when they first find it," Slonina said.

The diverse offerings of the thousands of Web sites meet several students' needs, ranging from entertainment to research, some students say.

If nothing else, it gives students "something to do between classes," said LSA junior Mandy Holland.

Holland said she looks at sites on topics "anywhere from things in (her) major to things around school to entertainment."

Eighty-five percent of the students responding to the ITD study said they view computers as a vehicle for socializing. This finding directly correlates with the ages of computer users, since younger respondents are more likely to use computers for social purposes than older students.

Seventy-four percent of students responding to ITD's survey said they use computers for intellectual stimulation.

"Part of it is the appeal of information," Slonina said. "Some of the quality (of information) isn't as good, but it's getting better as time goes on."

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