Scientists search for underlying psychological processes behind internet addiction

What happens in the minds of people who use the internet addictively? Prof. Dr. Matthias Brand from the University of Duisburg-Essen and his team want to find out. Since 2020, the scientists have searched for underlying psychological and neurobiological processes. They are now publishing their initial findings on self-control functions in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The scientists write that people with addictive internet use take longer on average to block out distractions and make risky and impulsive decisions more often than people without addictive symptoms. The group with pathological use also makes more mistakes on average in tasks where they are asked to react or not react to internet-related visual stimuli.

Although this is within the normal range, there is a significant difference compared to the control group—even when effects such as age, intelligence, and psychopathological symptoms such as depression are taken into account.

“Our findings so far show that certain patterns of thinking and behavior—especially those related to self-control—play an important role in whether someone develops internet addiction and why it persists,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Silke M. Müller.

The spokesperson for the research group, Prof. Brand, adds, “We assume that the whole thing develops like a chain reaction: those who have difficulties with self-control from the outset may be at higher risk of using the internet in an addictive manner. At the same time, addiction can contribute to a further decline in self-control over time.”

Over 1,000 participants—and still looking for volunteers

Between 2021 and 2024, a total of over 1,000 volunteers were extensively examined using the same instruments at various locations in Germany for the study. The participants had to complete various cognitive psychology tasks and answer questionnaires, among other things. The research team classified them as pathological/addictive, risky, or unproblematic based on their symptoms using a standardized interview that assesses addiction criteria.

A special feature of this study is its scope: “A study of this kind and magnitude is unique worldwide,” emphasizes Prof. Brand. “So far, we have produced a veritable treasure trove of data from which we can draw important insights into the mechanisms and processes that play a role in addictive behavior.”