Self Online: Personality and Demographic Implications

Publisher Summary The advent of the Internet has changed the culture profoundly, and has had a strong influence on how people relate to themselves as well as to each other. People differ in the degree to which they are susceptible to the disinhibition effect, just as online situations vary as to how likely they are to elicit this effect. Personality research studies show that depressiveness is associated with Internet use but depended on the type of use. Specifically, it is found that e-mail, chat, and instant messaging are associated with decreased depressive symptoms while shopping, playing games, or information seeking are associated with increased depressive symptoms. The basic difference between the sets of activities is that chatting involves others, while activities that are solitary appear to increase isolation and thus lower mood. In personality research, it has also become clear that the parts of personality one chooses to project into cyberspace are reflected in what is doing online. Morgan and Cotton's (2003) research also shows that the emotional openness evident in chat rooms can be therapeutic because one feels able to express oneself and be understood. In contrast, no such response typically occurs while shopping or gambling online, since these are solo activities.