icon backReturn to Entries

Addiction

In general, the word addiction refers to some kind of dependence. In the 1970s, the field of psychiatry in North America used the term systematically in the context of dependence on psychoactive substances (drug addiction). However, since then, this term has been used in reference to various types of addictive behaviors, including media addictions. This entry discusses the Internet addiction, which is a specific type of media addiction, and provides some historical perspectives on addictions in general as well as commonalities and causes of addictions.

The Specific Case of Internet Addiction

In the 1990s, scholar Mark Griffiths defined the concept of technological addiction as an addictive behavior that affects nonhuman interactions. This kind of addiction manifests in a different way from the classic drug-based model of addiction. ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles