New electronic media and addictive behaviour. TAB-Fokus

The temporal, spatial and social proliferation of electronic media continues to accelerate. For adults, children and young people, media worlds are likely to become a central living space with a strong pull. Addiction to or dependence on electronic media are discussed, in the context of being subject to culturally
characterized patterns of interpretation and social constructs – not unlike the approach to addiction in general. In studies, a distinguishing line is drawn between general Internet addiction and specific forms of addiction such as addiction to online gaming, to social networking, to online shopping, to online sex or to online gambling.
In reviews and articles on media addiction available for this study, the understanding of the terms which are used, the assessment of behaviours and the procedure for defining the study variables within the framework of empirical research differ considerably.
There is substantial need for further research in this comparatively young scientific field. This is particularly valid considering that intensive use of media is increasingly becoming a part of the population’s normal behaviour – and even is expected for professional reasons.