Background. Within the conditions of information socialization that is transforming communication and placing high demands on the ability of the individual to search, select, critically comprehend social information for decision-making and carrying out moral choices, a new social situation has developed. The research of the relationship between cognitive methods of processing social information on the Internet and shaping the worldview and ideas about the moral regulation in adolescents makes it possible to study the patterns of personality development in the unity of the cognitive and value-moral spheres.
The Objective of the research is to identify cognitive methods of processing social information on the Internet as a factor of developing a picture of the world in adolescent users with varying degrees of involvement and the risk of Internet addiction and moral regulation of relationship between them.
Hypothesis. Cognitive methods of processing information on the Internet are connected with the level of Internet addiction - a high level of Internet addiction corresponds to the low efficiency of cognitive methods of processing information. These methods influence the emerging system of major beliefs and worldview characteristics, and level of sensitivity to situations of moral choice.
Design. The author’s method of assessing social information on the Internet based on Crick and Dodge model (1994), Chen method for diagnosing Internet-addictive behaviour, «The scale of basic beliefs of the person» of R. Yanoff-Bullman (Kalmykova , Padun, 2002), and the author’s method of assessing moral aspects were used. The study involved 84 adolescents from 13 to 18 years (46% males and 54% females).
Results. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of cognitive processing cycles was conducted and gender differences were revealed. The relationship between Internet addiction and the effectiveness of cognitive processing methods of information on the Internet is verified. The significance of interpretation, behaviour assessment and the ability to construct social adaptive behaviour in communication to shape the major beliefs and moral attitude in adolescence are shown.
Conclusion. There are differences in the effectiveness of cognitive processing cycles of information. High efficiency of short-term, long-term, medium-term perspectives and behavioural responses and the ability to choose adequate social behavior corresponds to a relatively low productivity of interpretation. Internet addiction is interrelated with the low productivity of interpretation. Moral attitude is mediated by the age features of adolescent self-awareness and is related to the effectiveness of information interpretation, the evaluation of behavioural consequences and the choice of appropriate ways of social interaction.
PDF: Download
Keywords: cognitive methods of social information processing; Internet addiction; world-perception; basic assumptions; moral attitude; adolescence;
Available Online 30.09.2018
Table 1. Basic features of productive and non-productive processing of information.
Cycles of processing information in accordance with Crick and Dodge model |
Productive processing of information |
Non-productive processing of information |
Perception (decoding) |
Ability to capture all information, entire perception of the situation |
Narrow, one-sided perception of information, fragmentary perception of the situation |
Interpretation |
Interpretation of the situation and context: assessment, critical attitude to the information field, comparison with other information, the ability to illicit important/relevant information |
Focused attention to individual aspects of information, often insignificant, preveiling assumption about the hostility of social environment |
Searching for response based on clarifying goals |
Awareness of goals and readiness to change them. Wide repertoire of behavioural responses, flexible search for problem resolution |
Low awareness of goals, "fixed" approach, rigidity of goals. Narrow range of behavioural responses, rigorous approach to finding a solution |
Reaction assessment |
Assessing short-term, long-term, medium-term perspectives and behavioural responses |
Assessing short-term consequences, narrow focus on aggressive, isolating and phobic responses |
Behaviour |
Ability to differentiate and choose adequate social behaviour and implement it |
Insufficient level of ability to differentiate and implement socially acceptable behaviour |
Table 2. Basic psychometrics of assessing effectiveness of all cognitive processing cycles of social information.
Cycle of information processing / Characteristics |
Me |
SD |
Perception (decoding) (КО 1) |
22.43 |
3.93 |
Interpretation (КО 2) |
21.14 |
3.27 |
Searching for response. clarifying goals (КО 3) |
22.18 |
3.50 |
Response assessment (КО 4) |
23.01 |
3.45 |
Behaviour (КО 5) |
23.88 |
3.25 |
Table 3. Effectiveness of cognitive processing of social information.
Cycle of information processing / Features |
Mean |
Divergent |
||
Males |
Females |
U |
p |
|
Perception (decoding) (КО 1) |
22.36 |
22.49 |
867.5 |
.928 |
Interpretation (КО 2) |
21.03 |
21.24 |
809.5 |
.540 |
Searching for response, clarifying goals (КО 3) |
22,03 |
22,31 |
825,5 |
,639 |
Response assessment (КО 4) |
22.28 |
23.64 |
660.5 |
.050 |
Behaviour (КО 5) |
22.79 |
24.82 |
605.0 |
.014 |
Table 4. Basic psychometrics of Internet-addiction indicators.
Symptoms/Features |
Me |
SD |
Compulsive Symptoms (Com) |
8.98 |
2.9+59 |
Withdrawal Symptoms (Wit) |
9.99 |
3.21 |
Tolerance Symptoms (Tol) |
7.30 |
2.39 |
Interpersonal and Health Problems (IH) |
11.05 |
4.10 |
Time Management Problems (TM) |
8.38 |
3.07 |
Basic Symptoms of Internet Addiction (IA-Sym) |
26.26 |
7.43 |
Problems caused by Internet Addiction (IA_RP) |
19.43 |
6.46 |
Total score of Internet addiction (CLAS) |
45.69 |
12.85 |
Table 5. Relationship of Internet addiction symptoms and assessing effectiveness of cognitive processing cycles of social information.
Symptoms / Cycle of information processing |
|
КО 1 |
КО 2 |
КО 3 |
КО 4 |
КО 5 |
Compulsive Symptoms (Com) |
r p |
-.316 .003 |
-.485 .000 |
-.358 .001 |
-.056 .611 |
-.040 .717 |
Withdrawal Symptoms (Wit) |
r p |
-.068 .537 |
-.342 .001 |
-.245 .025 |
.035 .753 |
-.067 .544 |
Tolerance Symptoms (Tol) |
r p |
-.195 .075 |
-.354 .001 |
-.375 .000 |
-.058 .598 |
-.003 .975 |
Interpersonal and Health Problems (IH) |
r p |
-.102 .354 |
-.103 .351 |
-.275 .011 |
-.073 .510 |
-.147 .183 |
Time Management Problems (TM) |
r p |
-.241 .027 |
-.310 .004 |
-.366 .001 |
-.133 .227 |
-.214 .050 |
Basic Symptoms of Internet Addiction (IA-Sym) |
r p |
-.244 .026 |
-.515 .000 |
-.364 .001 |
-.023 .836 |
-.061 .579 |
Problems caused by Internet Addiction (IA_RP) |
r p |
-.184 .093 |
-.219 .045 |
-.362 .001 |
-.121 .274 |
-.211 .054 |
Total score of Internet addiction (CLAS) |
r p |
-.233 .033 |
-.417 .000 |
-.425 .000 |
-.048 .665 |
-.121 .274 |
КО 1 – Perception (decoding), КО 2 – Interpretation, КО 3 – Searching for response based on clarifying goals, КО 4 – Assessment of behaviour response assessment, КО 5 – Behaviour
Table. 6. Basic psychometrics of assessing major beliefs of the individual (within the walls).
Major Belief/Feature |
Me |
SD |
Benevolence of the Surrounding World (SMB 1) |
6.35 |
2.71 |
Fairness of the Surrounding World (SMB 2) |
4.62 |
2.72 |
Positive I-image (SMB 3) |
6.53 |
3.15 |
Belief in the reality of luck (SMB 4) |
7.65 |
2.96 |
Conviction of control over life (SMB 5) |
6.90 |
2.19 |
Table. 7. Relationship of assessing effectiveness of cognitive processing cycles and personal beliefs.
Cycle of information processing / Major belief |
|
SBC 1 |
SBC 2 |
SBC 3 |
SBC 4 |
SBC 5 |
Perception (decoding) (КО 1) |
r p |
.110 .371 |
-.125 .380 |
-.032 .799 |
-.018 .883 |
.097 .432 |
Interpretation (КО 2) |
r p |
.238 .050 |
-.169 .169 |
.079 .525 |
.270 .026 |
.144 .241 |
Searching for response, clarifying goals (КО 3) |
r p |
,166 ,176 |
-,146 ,235 |
,100 ,416 |
-,005 ,966 |
,154 .211 |
Response assessment (КО 4) |
r p |
,038 ,760 |
,005 ,966 |
-,146 ,234 |
-,041 ,741 |
-,065 ,596 |
Behaviour (КО 5) |
r p |
,132 ,284 |
-,107 ,384 |
,083 ,499 |
,296 ,014 |
-,040 ,746 |
Table 8. Basic psychometrics of assessing moral aspects.
Moral Aspect/Feature |
Me |
SD |
Interpersonal Interaction(II) |
4.91 |
.60 |
Idea of how to help (IH) |
3.68 |
.96 |
Moral Conflict (MC) |
4.33 |
.81 |
Moral value (MV) |
4.46 |
1.25 |
Table 9. Relationship between moral sensitivity and various components of cognitive evaluation.
|
|
КО 1 |
КО 2 |
КО 3 |
КО 4 |
КО 5 |
Interpersonal Interaction (II) |
r p |
.054 .624 |
-.083 .452 |
-.003 .975 |
.259 .017 |
.238 .029 |
Idea of how to help (IH) |
r p |
-.137 .213 |
-.239 .028 |
-.207 .059 |
-.177 .108 |
-.081 .463 |
Moral Conflict (МC) |
r p |
.017 .876 |
.028 .873 |
.000 .999 |
-.024 .829 |
.128 .245 |
Moral Value (МV) |
r p |
-.075 .499 |
-.254 .020 |
.000 .999 |
-.099 .370 |
.189 .085 |
Belova S.S., Valueva, E.A., Ovsyannikova, V.V., & Sysoeva, T.A. (2012). Analytical and holistic ways of processing information in the context of social cognition. [Pyataya mezhdunarodnaya konferentsiya po kognitivnoy nauke. Kaliningrad, Iyun’ 18–24, 2012, tezisy dokladov], Kaliningrad, 236–238.
Bogacheva N.V. (2014). Computer games and psychological specifics of the cognitive sphere of gamers. [Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta], Series 14. Psychology, 4, 120–130.
Bogacheva N.V. (2015). Computer games and the psychological specifics of the cognitive sphere of gamers (ending). [Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta], Series 14. Psychology, 94–103.
Crick N.R. & Dodge K.A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information-processing mechanisms in children´s social adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, 115, 74–101. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.115.1.74
Dodge K. A. (1993). Social-cognitive mechanisms in the development of conduct disorder and depression. Annual Review of Psychology, 44, 559–584. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.44.020193.003015
Dalla Nora CR, Zoboli ELCP, & Vieira M.M. (2017). Moral sensitivity in Primary Health Care nurses. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet], 70(2), 308–316. doi: 10.1590/0034-7167-2016-0453
Emelin V.A., Tkhostov A.Sh., & Rasskazova E.I. (2014). Psychological adaptation in the info-communication society: The revised version of Technology-Related Psychological Consequences Questionnaire. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 8(2), 105–120.
Garber J., Quiggle N.L., Panak W.F., & Dodge K.A. (1992). Child Development, 63(6), (Dec., 1992), 1305–1320. doi:10.2307/1131557
Gebel C., & Wütscher S. (2015). Social Media und die Förderung von Werte- und Medienkompetenz Jugendlicher. Expertise zu den Potenzialen der Medienarbeit mit Social Media. München: JFF – Institut für Medienpädagogik in Forschung und Praxis.
Gubina S.T., & Yugova N.L. (2014). Adolescent perception of information on the Internet: prevention of Internet-dependent behavior. [Discussiya], 1 (42), 111–117.
Janoff-Bulman R. (1985). The aftermath of victimisation: Rebuilding shattered assumption. In C.R.Figley (Ed.) Trauma and its wake. N.Y., Brunner/Mazel, 15–35.
Kalmykova E.S., & Padun M.A. (2002). Early Attachment and Its Influence on Resistance to Psychic Trauma. [Psikhologicheskiy zhurnal], 5 (23), 51–59.
Kanning U.P. (2002). Soziale Kompetenz – Definition, Strukturen und Prozesse. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 210(4), 154–163. doi:10.1026//0044-3409.210.4.154
Karabanova O.A. (2010). Social Situation of Child's Development - the Key Concept in Modern Developmental Psychology. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 3, 130–153
Kupersmidt J.B., Stelter R., & Dodge K.A. (2011). Development and Validation of the Social Information Processing Application: A Web-Based Measure of Social Information Processing Patterns in Elementary School-Age Boys. Psychological assessment. 23(4), 834–847. doi:10.1037/a0023621.
Lemerise E.A. & Arsenio W.F. (2000). An integrated model of emotion processes and cognition in social information processing. Child Development, 71(1), 107–118. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00124
Lysak I.V., & Belov D.P. (2013). Influence of information and communication technologies on the peculiarities of cognitive processes. [Izvestiya YuFU. Tekhnicheskie nauki], 5(142), 256–264.
Peterman F., & Peterman U. (1997). Training mit aggressiven Kindern. Weinheim: Psychologie Verlags Union.
Soldatova G.V., & Rasskazova E.I. (2014). Assessment of the digital competence in Russian adolescents and parents: Digital Competence Index. Psychology in Russia: State of the Art, 7(4), 65–74.
Soldatova G.U., & Rasskazova E.I. (2014). Safety of adolescents on the Internet: risks, coping and parental mediation. National Psychological Journal, 3 (15), 39–51. doi: 10.11621/npj.2014.0305
Soldatova G.U., & Olkina O.I. (2015) Attitude to privacy and protection of personal data: security issues of Russian children and adolescents. National Psychological Journal, 3, 56–66. doi:10.11621/npj.2015.0306
Voiskunsky A.E. (2010). Information security: psychological aspects. National psychological journal, 3, 48–53.
Voiskunsky A.E. (2014). Social Perception in Social Networks. [Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta], Series 14. Psychology, 2, 90–104.
Voiskunsky A.E. (2017) Internet as a space of knowledge: psychological aspects. [Sovremennaya zarubezhnaya psihologiya], 4, 72–86.Molchanov S.V., Almazova O.V., Poskrebisheva N.N. (2018). Cognitive methods of processing social information on the Internet in adolescence. National Psychological Journal. 3, 57-68.