W8. Abstract: Teenage Internet Use

Gross, E.F. (2004) “Adolescent Internet use: What we expect, what teens report” Applied Developmental Psychology, Vol. 25 (Issue 6), P.633-649

This study discusses previous expectations about teenage internet use and then investigates these to discover the degree to which they predict reality. 261 teenagers in the 7th and 10th grade in California public schools completed end of day reports about how they had used the Internet that day. The findings diffused myths that boys spend more time online than girls, particularly playing violent games as it was found that male and female usage was becoming increasingly similar. The idea that adolescents used the Internet for anonymous identity experimentation was also disproved, as it was found that use was mainly limited to private settings with friends who are also part of their daily offline lives and was about ordinary topics, such as mutual friends and gossip. In addition, no link was found between Internet usage and general well being, questioning previous research that the Internet causes depression and social isolation amongst teenagers.
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