As we live life in the 21st Century, the science of psychology begins a second century of exploration into the essence of human experience--behavior, thinking, and feeling. Reflecting the challenges and complexities of daily life, psychology has come to focus on modern-day issues, such as teen violence, multi-task learning, and "online addictions", in addition to the timeless concerns of all people such as relationships, group processes, depression and cognition.
For some, technology itself can facilitate or alleviate stress. Entire new lifestyles are emerging which range from "Online Auction Addiction" to participation in online support groups, tele-health treatment, and distance learning. List-servs, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and websites have become part of human experience.
Cyberpsychology.com will endeavor to present some of the hot topics in Psychology, or "cyberpsychology" as it relates to Internet-mediated experience as we are immersed in a new era of human information processing, with ubiquitous information, communication, and social networking tools.
Certainly the range of human cognition, emotion, and behavior has not magically transformed with the dawning of a new Millennium. However, technology and communication touch each of us--or we wouldn't be here now reading these words!
This site will offer discussion, resources, and references to help psychologists, students, and the curious, in understanding the interactions of (wo)man and environment, and how mental health is both affected by, and addressed by, the Internet. There will also be features on the basic life experiences which shape human psychology, which transcend time and place, and which are basic aspects of human nature. Welcome to the 21st Century! For those who enjoy forums, a Cyberpsychology-focused forum is now up and accessible (upper right of the page) and is hardly ever used. Are you a forum-lover? Feel free!! Post something about you or cyberpsychology, or your area of interest in the topic.
CYBERPSYCHOLOGY.COM UPDATE Over time Cyberpsychology.com will continue to serve as a clearinghouse for Cyberpsychology-related information, news, articles, and discussion. There will be additional features and content "here", organized specifically around all things cyberpsychology related, and found on cyberpsychology.com
Internet Behavior/Experience
"This is the Decade of the Information Revolution. At the beginning of the decade 4% of the public were connected to computers on a fast basis. [Now] it's 65%, 72% Total.
The Internet is all-encompassing. Most people use the Internet. It's led to search. It's led to social networks that shape ... the way people lead their lives that were unimagineable 10 years ago."
- Andrew Kohut, Pew Research Group, on PBS (12/31/09)
Relevant Articles:
The Latest FAD? Facebook Addiction Disorder Partly in jest, as so many online behaviors are said to be disorders and/or addictions - but whatever you call it, there are combinations of addictive, time-sponging activities which are taking up more and more time among people we know and love.
Internet: Pathway for Networking, Connecting, and Addiction Dr. Kimberly Young chairs a panel which includes her own study of effective treatments for Internet-related disorders, and presentions on
some additional components of online potential: "digital altruism", social networking, and "the other's face on Facebook". (Fenichel)
Myths and Realities of Online Clinical Work Observations on the phenomena of online behavior, experience and therapeutic relationships A 3rd-Year Report from ISMHO's Clinical Case Study Group
(Fenichel,Suler,Barak, Zelvin, Jones, Munro, Meunier, &Walker-Schmucker)
Here and Now in Cyberspace
Some thoughts about the nature of the here & now online, and the implications for both social and therapeutic interpersonal communication. (Fenichel) Click Here for full article.
Cyberpsychology: Psychologists have been studying and using the Internet for several years now, and have been sharing their findings on the use of online technology in areas of self-help, education, and even direct treatment, such as telehealth, "e-therapy", support groups, and list-serv discussion groups.
Online Therapy: One of the most controversial topics, and an emerging area of training and discussion. Click Here to read a report from ISMHO's Millennium Group, describing the types of work being conducted online by a group of 16 mental health practitioners.
1/2 Decade Report of the Clinical Case Study Group A summary of 5 years' cumulative experience among this group of online mental health professionals. Many references to additional resources and related articles.
Asynchronously Live from Y2K: Some classic presentations relevant to online mental health, cyberpsychology, etc. - from the 2000 APA Convention, a report from a symposium with some of our leading experts on cyberpsychology, online communication, addictive Internet behavior, and "eTherapy", discussing the theory and practice of mental health online. (Click Here)
Organized Psychology: The American Psychological Association is a monolith of practitioners, academicians, and researchers. At the August APA convention, the last APA convention of the 20th Century, there were strong themes relating to both science and practice, alongside some collective angst about the ravishes of Managed Care.
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