Social Science Computer Review

This article will present an overview of the way that the Internet is being used to assist psychological research and mediate psychological practice. It will show how psychologists are using the Internet to examine the interactions between people and computers, and highlight some of the ways that this research is important to the design and development of useable and acceptable computer systems. In particular, this introduction will review the research presented at the recent International Conference on Psychology and the Internet held in the United Kingdom. On behalf of the organizing committee, the author would like to thank all psychology researchers and practitioners who presented and participated in the conference. The final part will introduce the eight articles in this special edition, including those from the invited speakers at the conference: Tom Postmes, Pamela Briggs, and Ulf-Dietrich Reips. The eight articles are representative of the breadth of research being conducted on psychology and the Internet: There are two on methodological issues, three on group processes, one on organizational implications, and two on social implications of Internet use.

Internet-based psychological experimenting is presented as a method that needs careful consideration of a number of issues—from potential data corruption to revealing confidential information about participants. Ten issues are grouped into five areas of actions to be taken when developing an Internet experiment (dos) and five errors to be avoided (don’ts). Dos include: (a) utilizing dropout as a dependent variable, (b) the use of dropout to detect motivational confounding, (c) placement of questions for personal information, (d) using a collection of techniques, and (e) using Internet-based tools. Don’ts are about: (a) unprotected directories, (b) public access to confidential data, (c) revealing the experiment’s structure, (d) ignoring the Internet’s technical variance, and (e) improper use of form elements.

This article explores the viability of conducting longitudinal survey research using the Internet in samples exposed to trauma. A questionnaire battery assessing psychological adjustment following adverse life experiences was posted online. Participants who signed up to take part in the longitudinal aspect of the study were contacted 3 and 6 months after initial participation to complete the second and third waves of the research. Issues of data screening and sample attrition rates are considered and the demographic profiles and questionnaire scores of those who did and did not take part in the study during successive time points are compared. The results demonstrate that it is possible to conduct repeated measures survey research online and that the similarity in characteristics between those who do and do not take part during successive time points mirrors that found in traditional pencil-and-paper trauma surveys.

This article reports a study undertaken to investigate some of the social psychological processes underlying computer-supported group discussion in natural computer-mediated contexts. Based on the concept of deindividuation, it was hypothesized that personal identifiability and group identity would be important factors that affect the perceptions and behavior of members of computer-mediated groups. The degree of personal identifiability and the strength of group identity were manipulated across groups of geographically dispersed computer users who took part in e-mail discussions during a 2-week period. The results do not support the association between deindividuation and uninhibited behavior cited in much previous research. Instead, the data provide some support for a social identity perspective of computer-mediated communication, which explains the higher levels uninhibited in identifiable computer-mediated groups. However, predictions based on social identity theory regarding group polarization and group cohesion were not supported. Possible explanations for this are discussed and further research is suggested to resolve these discrepancies.

Cases of identity deception on the Internet are not uncommon. Several cases of a revealed identity deception have been reported in the media. In this article, the authors examine a case of deception in an online community composed primarily of information technology professionals. In this case, an established community member(DF) invented a character(Nowheremom) whom he fell in love with and who was eventually killed in a tragic accident. When other members of the community eventually began to question Nowheremom’s actual identity, DF admitted that he invented her. The discussion board was flooded with reactions to DF’s revelation. The authors propose several explanations for the perpetration of identity deception, including psychiatric illness, identity play, and expressions of true self. They also analyze the reactions of community members and propose three related explanations (social identity, deviance, and norm violation) to account for their reactions. It is argued that virtual communities’ reactions to such threatening events provide invaluable clues for the study of group processes on the Internet.

This article examines how the Internet transforms collective action. Current practices on the web bear witness to thriving collective action ranging from persuasive to confrontational, individual to collective, undertakings. Even more influential than direct calls for action is the indirect mobilizing influence of the Internet’s powers of mass communication, which is boosted by an antiauthoritarian ideology on the web. Theoretically, collective action through the otherwise socially isolating computer is possible because people rely on internalized group memberships and social identities to achieve social involvement. Empirical evidence from an online survey among environmental activists and nonactivists confirms that online action is considered an equivalent alternative to offline action by activists and nonactivists alike. However, the Internet may slightly alter the motives underlying collective action and thereby alter the nature of collective action and social movements. Perhaps more fundamental is the reverse influence that successful collective action will have on the nature and function of the Internet.

The use of intranets and e-mails to communicate with remote staff is increasing rapidly within organizations. Formany companies this is viewed as a speedy and cost-effective way of keeping in contact with staff and ensuring their continuing commitment to company goals. This article highlights the problems experienced by staff when managers use intranets and e-mails in an inappropriate fashion for these purposes. Issues of remoteness and isolation will be discussed, along with the reports of frustration and disidentification experienced. However, it will be shown that when used appropriately, communication using these technologies can facilitate shared understanding and help remote staff to view their company as alive and exciting. Theoretical aspects will be highlighted and the implications of these findings will be discussed.

Technology has always played a role in the development of gambling practices and continues to provide new market opportunities. One of the fastest growing areas is that of Internet gambling. The effect of such technologies should not be accepted uncritically, particularly as there may be areas of potential concern based on what is known about problem gambling offline. This article has three aims. First, it overviews some of the main social concerns about the rise of Internet gambling. Second, it looks at the limited research that has been carried out in this area. Third, it examines whether Internet gambling is doubly addictive, given research that suggests that the Internet can be addictive itself. It is concluded that technological developments in Internet gambling will increase the potential for problem gambling globally, but that many of the ideas and speculations outlined in this article need to be addressed further by large-scale empirical studies.

Many people are now influenced by the information and advice they find on the Internet, much of it of dubious quality. This article describes two studies concerned with those factors capable of influencing people’s response to online advice. The first study is a qualitative account of a group of house-hunters attempting to find worthwhile information online. The second study describes a survey of more than 2,500 people who had actively sought advice over the Internet. A framework for understanding trust in online advice is proposed in which first impressions are distinguished from more detailed evaluations. Good web design can influence the first process, but three key factors—source credibility, personalization, and predictability—are shown to predict whether people actually follow the advice given.