Cognitive mechanism of intimate interpersonal relationships and loneliness in internet-addicts: An ERP study. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hou, Juan; Jiang, Yingying; Chen, Shuangyi; Hou, Yingying; Wu, Jingyi; Fan, Ning; Fang, Xiaoyi
• Is Part Of: Addictive behaviors reports. Volume 10(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Internet addiction -- Interpersonal relationship -- Loneliness -- ERP -- Cognitive mechanism; Compulsive behavior -- Periodicals; 616.8584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2019.100209
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-8532

Abstract

Abstract: Interpersonal relationship and loneliness are important factors affecting internet addictive behavior of individuals. In the present study, we investigated intimate interpersonal relationships and loneliness in internet-addicts. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) of 32 internet addicts and 32 non internet-addicts. Participants viewed intimate-/conflict-relationship, happy/lonely, and neutral images. Results concerning attention probes showed that the accuracy rate of attention probes of internet-addicts was significantly lower than that of non internet-addicts; whereas, there was no significant difference in the reaction time of attention probes. Moreover, the differences in the mean amplitude and latency of P1, N1, N2P3, and LPP between internet-addicts and non internet-addicts were insignificant. Then, we found that the P1 amplitude of conflict images was significantly higher than that of intimate images among non internet-addicts; whereas internet-addicts indicated an insignificant difference between the two types of images. The P1 amplitude of lonely images was significantly higher than that of happy images among internet-addicts, but non internet-addicts were insignificant. The questionnaire data also obtained similar conclusions based on the EEG data. Finally, internet-addicts reported significantly higher loneliness scores than those of non internet-addicts. These results suggested that the social cognitive function of internet-addicts was probably impaired, especially in the cognition of interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, internet-addicts are likely to keep poor interpersonal relationships, which may induce more loneliness. Highlights: P1 of conflict images was significantly higher than that of intimate images among non internet-addicts, but internet-addicts were insignificant. P1 of lonely images was significantly higher than that of happy images among internet-addicts, but non internet-addicts were insignificant. Social cognitive function of internet-addicts was probably impaired, especially in the cognition of interpersonal conflict.