Internet Addiction Disorder: a Review (Part 2)
MODELS OF IAD
Clinical research on behavioral addictions has focused on
compulsive gambling (8), overeating (11), and compulsive sexual
behavior (12). Similar addiction models have been applied to
technological overuse (24), computer dependency (25) and
obsessive video game playing. These theories include
psychodynamic and personality explanations, socio-cultural
explanations, behavioral explanations, and biomedical
explanations (26). Not all explain any addiction perfectly and
some are better than others at explaining Internet addiction.
Diathesis-stress model
A dispositional model or diathesis-stress model of addiction
might help in understanding IAD. Certain people, due to a
variety of factors, may be predisposed (diathesis) to developing
an addiction to something, be it alcohol, heroin, gambling, sex,
shopping, or on-line computer services. If the right stressor,
or combination of stressors, affects the person at a critical
time, the person may be more inclined to develop an addiction.
Behavioral explanations
These explanations are based on B.F. Skinner's studies on
operant conditioning (27). The person performs a behavior and
gets either rewarded or punished for the behavior. Behaviour
that is rewarded is reinforced and the person intends to indulge
in that behaviour more frequently. This again becomes
reinforcing, and the cycle continues.
Biomedical explanations
According to this perspective, this would make someone
susceptible to addiction (27). There is definitive research that
shows that some drugs act to fill in the synaptic gaps of the
neurons in the brain, fooling the brain into sending out faulty
information. This, it is thought, is one reason for the "high