The internet is for violent jerks, study finds
Does the internet change folks into assholes? Or do assholes just naturally gravitate to using the internet?
While the question may never truly be answered by modern science, new research suggests the asshole-to-user ratio isn't just in your imagination.
In a study of 9,405 Taiwanese teenagers, a team of researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan claim those with signs of "internet addiction" were more likely to say they've hit, shoved, or threatened someone in the past year. The findings were published online by the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The boffins labeled about 25 per cent of the boys and 13 per cent of the girls as internet addicts, based on questioners about their online and offline behavior. According to the team, signs of addiction include a preoccupation with online activities, "withdrawal" symptoms like irritability if unable to access the internet, and skipping real-world endeavors in favor of the warming glow of a monitor.
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