Internet Addiction, Neuroplasticity and Education

Abstract

the apps that are of interest to an individual, personality factors, certain health and psychological conditions and owning the necessary device. Some research findings will throw light on these points. In a study conducted by Prabhakaran, Patel, Ganjiwale and Somashekhar (2016), which investigated factors associated with internet addiction among school going adolescents in Vadodara, online friendship was found to be a significant predictor of internet addiction. Also, psychological factors such as using internet to escape from self-dissatisfaction, to deal with stress, emotional regulation along with individual temperaments have been found to be associated with the development of internet addiction and high-risk behaviours among adolescents (Prabhakaran et al, 2016). This same study found that owning a personal device, use of smart phones, use of internet for charting, making online friendship, online shopping, watching movies, online gaming was significantly associated with IA. The study also revealed that social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram Federal College of Education, Obudu, Nigeria Abstract: The benefit of information and communication technology is enormous, yet not without its side effects. The lapses arise more from misuse or overuse of internet-based activities. The terms used to describe this practice include, but not exhaustive the following, internet addiction, problematic internet use, internet overuse and maladaptive internet use. This paper explored the factors predisposing people to internet addiction, the interplay of internet addiction and neuroplasticity, physiological, psychological and social impact of internet addiction. It went further to highlight the effects of internet addiction on learning and advances educational interventions for curbing internet addiction. Some of the approaches include cognitive behavioural approaches, purposeful creation of new neural partway based on creativity and problem solving