Although titled “Facebook Psychology,” the team at Best Masters in Psychology have put together a great graphic discussing internet addiction, how it works – to include Skinners’ Operant Conditioning in the form of rewards and for proper behavior – and its possible effects, such as decreased attention span and the rise of ADHD. In an article on Forbes website, Alice Walton points out that studies are already being conducted to try and reduce internet addiction using cognitive behavioral therapy.
What to do:
The internet can be an incredible distraction with its multitude of links and topics. Nicolas Carr observes in his 2011 book How the Internet is Changing the Way We Think, Read and Remember that linear thought of the past is “giving way to short, disjointed, often overlapping bursts – the faster, the better.” Because of our growing awareness of these issues, apps and programs, such as Freedom© and Self Control©, have been created to help limit our access to the internet, and supposedly make us more productive – if we can shut the television off too.
References
Antonius J. van Rooij, M. F. (2012). Treating Internet Addiction With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Therapists. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10 (1), 69-82.
Best Masters In Psychology. (2012). Internet Addiction. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012, from Best Masters In Psychology: http://www.bestmastersinpsychology.com/internet-addiction/
McLeod, S. (n.d.). Skinner: Operant Conditioning. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
Salvador, M. (2013, March 28). Internet Addiction: The Facts. Retrieved from Megan Salvador: http://megsalva.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/internet-addiction-the-facts/
Walton, A. G. (2012, Oct 2). Internet Addiction Is The New Mental Health Disorder. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012, from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/10/02/the-new-mental-health-disorder-internet-addiction/
Wilkinson, C. (2012, Sept 6). Shutting Out a World of Digital Distraction. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012, from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/9522845/Shutting-out-a-world-of-digital-distraction.html
Media Psychology 
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seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos
to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll take your advice into consideration.
Ken