Cue-induced craving for Internet among Internet addicts.
Intense craving is a core feature of addictive disorder, and cue-induced craving is believed to be a key factor in the maintenance and relapse of addictive behaviors. With the rapid development of the Internet, Internet addiction has become a widespread behavioral problem accompanied by many negative effects. This study used the cue-reactivity paradigm to examine cue-induced craving for the Internet among Internet addicts and non-addicts. Participants were exposed to Internet-related words, and asked to report their craving for the Internet. Results indicated that Internet-related words aroused cue-induced craving for the Internet among both Internet addicts and non-addicts; however, the craving was more intense among Internet addicts. These results suggest that craving may not be a unipolar, all or none state found only in addicts, but may also be present among non-addicts. They indicate that Internet-related words may be able to induce craving for the Internet, and that Internet addiction and other addictions may share similar underlying mechanisms. This finding has important implications for designing interventions for Internet addiction.
Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
Geng-Feng
GF
Niu
Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; Children's Digital Media Center, UCLA/CSULA, USA.
Xiao-Jun
XJ
Sun
Department of Psychology, California State University, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA; Children's Digital Media Center, UCLA/CSULA, USA. Electronic address: ksubrah@exchange.calstatela.edu.
Kaveri
K
Subrahmanyam
Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
Fan-Chang
FC
Kong
Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
Yuan
Y
Tian
Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China; School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China. Electronic address: zhouzk@mail.ccnu.edu.cn.
Zong-Kui
ZK
Zhou
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D066249:Craving; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
Cue-induced craving; Incentive sensitization model; Internet addiction