David Smahel
Masaryk University, Institute for Research on Children, Youth and Family, Department Member
- David Smahel, Ph.D. is the Professor at the Institute of Children, Youth and Family Research, Masaryk University, the... moreDavid Smahel, Ph.D. is the Professor at the Institute of Children, Youth and Family Research, Masaryk University, the Czech Republic. He directs the Interdisciplinary Research Team on Internet and Society (IRTIS - irtis.fss.muni.cz) which researches social-psychological implications of the internet and technology. Current research focuses on adolescents’ and adults’ internet use, the online risks of children and adolescents, the construction of online identities and virtual relationships, and online addictive behavior. He is editor of Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace (www.cyberpsychology.eu) and has co-authored book Digital Youth: The Role of Media in Development (Springer, 2011).edit
Research Interests:
Previous research on youths’ online risky experiences has mostly utilized quantitative designs. However, some of this research does not account for youths’ views and perceptions. This qualitative study fills this gap by describing online... more
Previous research on youths’ online risky experiences has mostly utilized quantitative designs. However, some of this research does not account for youths’ views and perceptions. This qualitative study fills this gap by describing online problematic situations from the perspectives of European youths. This study focuses on classifying online problematic situations based on youths’ perspectives while interrelating their developmental contexts. As a theoretical framework, the co-construction model was adopted, which proposes that youths' online and offline worlds are interconnected. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with youths between the ages of 9 and 16 from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Youths’ responses reflected the complexity of the various online problematic situations they encountered or indirectly experienced, and how such experiences were interconnected with the developmental contexts of peer relationships, parent-child relationships, romantic relationships, school, sexuality, identity, health, and morality. We recommend the development of complex educational programs focused on youths about online problematic situations, which discuss the possible situations they may encounter and how to deal with them.
Research Interests:
Adolescents use media that exposes them to sexual material. This study focused on adolescents in the Czech Republic, a country with relatively high rates of exposure to sexual material (ESM). A sample of adolescents aged 11 to 15 years (N... more
Adolescents use media that exposes them to sexual material. This study focused on adolescents in the Czech Republic, a country with relatively high rates of exposure to sexual material (ESM). A sample of adolescents aged 11 to 15 years (N = 495) taken from the project EU Kids Online II was examined for predictors of the following: frequency of ESM, place of ESM, and, for online ESM, the types of sites. The only predictors of sporadic ESM were age and excessive Internet use, while age, gender, sensation seeking, and excessive Internet use were predictors of frequent ESM. Age and excessive Internet use were predictors only of ESM online, while age, gender, emotional problems, sensation seeking, and excessive Internet use were predictors of ESM in online and offline environments. High ESM is linked to adolescent vulnerability and also to adolescent psychosexual development. The implications of these findings are discussed in this article.
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The goal of this study was to explore how victims of cyberbullying perceive online aggressive attacks and when they see them as harmful. Interviews were carried out with 16 cybervictimised participants aged 15–17 years. The findings... more
The goal of this study was to explore how victims of cyberbullying perceive online aggressive attacks and when they see them as harmful. Interviews were carried out with 16 cybervictimised participants aged 15–17 years. The findings showed differences in the perception of online victimisation when perpetrated by an anonymous Internet user versus by a known person from the real world. The tendency of unknown online aggressors to threaten to hurt their victims offline increased the victims' feelings of harm. Where cyberbullying interconnected with the school environment, the feeling of harm was intensified by collective perpetration, and by onlookers being personally identifiable. Where cyberbullying was a part of traditional bullying, online victimisation being discussed at school reproduced the bullying and thus the trauma. The results showed that the link between cyberbullying and the physical environment is significant with respect to the victim's perception of its severity.
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Random samples of at least 1,000 youth, ages 9 to 16 years, from 25 European countries (N = 25,142) were used to test the salience of low self-control on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization (direct and indirect effects), framed... more
Random samples of at least 1,000 youth, ages 9 to 16 years, from 25 European countries (N = 25,142) were used to test the salience of low self-control on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization (direct and indirect effects), framed by a cross-cultural developmental approach. Path models, which provided evidence of invariance by sex, tested the hypothesized links among low self-control as well as known correlates, including offline perpetration and victimization, and externalizing behaviours. Results showed positive associations between online and offline bullying behaviours (perpetration and victimization), and, more interestingly, both direct but mostly indirect effects by low self-control on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization; externalizing behaviours had little additional explanatory power. Importantly, multi-group tests by country samples provided evidence of quite modest differences in the tested links across the 25 developmental contexts, despite some observed differences in the amount of variance explained in the dependent measures.
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OBJECTIVES: To describe the motives for playing online. games (MMORPG) in players whose behaviour shows symptoms of addiction to the Internet, the reasons which lead the players to reduce their playing, and how such a reduction takes... more
OBJECTIVES: To describe the motives for playing online. games (MMORPG) in players whose behaviour shows symptoms of addiction to the Internet, the reasons which lead the players to reduce their playing, and how such a reduction takes place. DESIGN: Qualitative study. METHOD: Content analysis of semi-structured interviews focused on the motivation for and the development of online playing. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen players of online games (4 women and 12 men) aged 15 to 33 years whose behaviour shows symptoms of addiction to the Internet. RESULTS: The motives for online gaming reported by the players included escapism, self-realisation, socialisation, and coping with boredom. The motivation for online playing changed dynamically with time. The motives for the reduction of online playing reported by participants included their realising that they have been absorbed by the game, health problems, impulses from their environment, and impulses from the game. Strategies that the players chose to reduce online gaming were divided into two basic groups: a gradual reduction with replacement by another online application with a “safer profile” and uninstalling the game from the user’s computer. CONCLUSION: The results of motivation for online playing confirm the findings of foreign studies and expand the category with the completely new motive of playing online games for professional growth. This study also maps out new reasons for limiting online gaming and how such reductions occurred.
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This paper analyses how young Italians aged 16 to 19 who identify themselves with emo subculture use social network sites (SNSs) in constructing their identity and social relations. Based on a qualitative methodology, the findings... more
This paper analyses how young Italians aged 16 to 19 who identify themselves with emo subculture use social network sites (SNSs) in constructing their identity and social relations. Based on a qualitative methodology, the findings supported our hypothesis that SNS are tools to socialise rather than isolate. Emo emerges as a powerful identity mark, which through dissemination in new media provides the foundation for a new sense of subcultural belonging.
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The article is focused on the topic of self-injury as phenomenon, appearing on blogs (on-line diaries) of nowadays adolescents. The goal of this research was to understand the problematics of self-injury itself and motivation to write... more
The article is focused on the topic of self-injury as phenomenon, appearing on blogs (on-line diaries) of nowadays adolescents. The goal of this research was to understand the problematics of self-injury itself and motivation to write about self-injury in public area of blogs and also it focuses on the question of potential emerging of on-line community of self-harmers. In adolescents, who had an experience with self-injury, we focused on their motivation; how they take self-injury and what role does internet and blog play in self-injury. This research is of explorative character - with the usage of grounded theory method there was 9 semi-structured interviews with girls of the age of 15-18 analysed. The research showed that blog community connected by self-injury issue is being looked upon by the respondents as supportive, has a tendency to refuse help from the outside togehter with strengthening the negative feelings about proffesional help. Internet, let us say blog, act as important agents in spreading information on self-injury. This fact is especially important in light of the phenomenon of potential social contagion of self-injury.
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In this research paper, we examine the presence and characteristics of online communities in the Czech Republic, with a particular focus on selected socio-demographic (age, gender) and psychological characteristics as well as individual... more
In this research paper, we examine the presence and characteristics of online communities in the Czech Republic, with a particular focus on selected socio-demographic (age, gender) and psychological characteristics as well as individual motivations of their participants. According to our findings, about one fifth of Czech Internet users regularly attend at least one online community. There are no significant gender differences in the membership; however, participants differ according to age, with the youngest age groups being the most active in belonging to an online group. We also investigate the question of correlation between the intensity of engagement in online communities, and the quality of their participants' social life in the "offline world" (measured primarily by the number of online/offline friends and the amount of time spent with them or with their families). Finally, we pay attention to the perceived psychological benefits from belonging to an online group. The analysis, which we present as a pioneer study aimed at the Czech Internet users, is conducted using the data from the World Internet Project, which in 2006 surveyed a representative sample of the Czech population (1710 respondents aged 12+).
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The paper focuses on psychological aspects of blogging in the period of early and middle adolescence – it deals with the motivation of bloggers, their benefits of blogging as well as with the subjects and objects of their communication... more
The paper focuses on psychological aspects of blogging in the period of early and middle adolescence – it deals with the motivation of bloggers, their benefits of blogging as well as with the subjects and objects of their communication via blogs. Semi-structured interviews with 8 adolescent bloggers in the age between 13 and 17 years were conducted and analysed via grounded theory method. The results suggest that adolescents set up blogs with the intent to present themselves through their blogs in front of the peer readers. The peer readers give them social support and feedback which affects bloggers self-concept and self-esteem. Similarity in interests and opinions is also very important for adolescent relationships rising in the blogosphere. Furthermore, the particularity of pro ana blogs – a community of bloggers supporting themselves in pathological eating habits which may lead to anorexia -was mentioned. In our article, we present blogs as a possible tool which can contribute to understanding issues of the utmost importance for adolescents.
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The virtual world is quite different than the real world. Itraises new opportunities and risks for the way individualsrelate to one another. The aim of this paper is the description of phenomenon of lying in virtual world, in which... more
The virtual world is quite different than the real world. Itraises new opportunities and risks for the way individualsrelate to one another. The aim of this paper is the description of phenomenon of lying in virtual world, in which specific features of on-line environment are the key factors. An explorative qualitative investigation was carried out to find out the main topics of the way individuals believe to others and distinguish deception from truth in chat rooms. The method of grounded theory was used for data analysis.
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We examined the search for partners by participants in two teen chat services having different ecologies. Over 12,000 utterances from monitored and unmonitored chat rooms were analyzed to assess online partner selection attempts and to... more
We examined the search for partners by participants in two teen chat services having different ecologies. Over 12,000 utterances from monitored and unmonitored chat rooms were analyzed to assess online partner selection attempts and to see how such attempts may be influenced by the presence of an adult monitor. We found that the search for partners is ubiquitous in adolescents' online haunts, just as it is in their offline lives, and approximately two requests for a partner occur each minute. Although partner selection appears to be an important activity in online teen chat rooms, there are differences in frequency and format (e.g., the use of numerals, sexualized requests) as a function of participants' age and gender, and chat room ecology (monitored vs. unmonitored).
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The article shows basic results from the World Internet Project, an international research focused on examining the influence of computers, the Internet and related technologies on the individual, family and society. The main goal of this... more
The article shows basic results from the World Internet Project, an international research focused on examining the influence of computers, the Internet and related technologies on the individual, family and society. The main goal of this paper is to give readers a general view on Internet use in four studied countries (USA, Singapore, Hungary, Czech Republic) and give them a basic image about the effects of the Internet on time spent with families and the overall contact with families and friends. The article presents data from quantitative research on population samples of 18 years of age and older, all four samples were made representative for each country.
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The authors examined the online construction of identity and sexuality in a large sample of conversations from monitored and unmonitored teen chat rooms. More than half of the 583 participants (identified by a distinct screen name)... more
The authors examined the online construction of identity and sexuality in a large sample of conversations from monitored and unmonitored teen chat rooms. More than half of the 583 participants (identified by a distinct screen name) communicated identity information, most frequently gender. In this way, participants compensated for the text-based chat environment by providing information about themselves that would be visible and obvious in face-to-face communication. Sexual themes constituted 5% of all utterances (1 sexual comment per minute); bad or obscene language constituted 3% of the sample (1 obscenity every 2 minutes). Participants who self-identified as female produced more implicit sexual communication, participants who self-identified as male produced more explicit sexual communication. The protected environment of monitored chat (hosts who enforce basic behavioral rules) contained an environment with less explicit sexuality and fewer obscenities than the freer environment of unmonitored chat. These differences were attributable both to the monitoring process itself and to the differing populations attracted to each type of chat room (monitored: more participants self-identified as younger and female; unmonitored: more participants self-identified as older and male).
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The article focuses on the issue of interpersonal attraction in cyberspace. The purpose of the qualitative research based on the grounded theory was to find out, what criteria influence internet users choice of partners for online... more
The article focuses on the issue of interpersonal attraction in cyberspace. The purpose of the qualitative research based on the grounded theory was to find out, what criteria influence internet users choice of partners for online communication. The sample consisted of seven respondents aged from 19 to 35. Six respondents were interviewed online, one face to face with dictaphone. The analysis of the interviews has shown that the attraction is induced by the following qualities: similarity, interestingness, creativity, intelligence, advanced linguistic and communicative skills, sense of humour and what some of the respondents called virtual charisma. Passivity, aggression and immoderate exhibitionism on the other hand are generally considered unattractive. Similarity (sharing of interests, opinions and/or values) has turned out to be the most significant factor.
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Presented study is focused on communication of adolescents in the internet enviroment. The study is based on qualitative methodology - ground theory method. 16 interviews were carried out, a half of them held in the reality and the others... more
Presented study is focused on communication of adolescents in the internet enviroment. The study is based on qualitative methodology - ground theory method. 16 interviews were carried out, a half of them held in the reality and the others in the internet enviroment. The communication of adolescents is analyzed in two levels - first from the point of view of adolescents and then from the point of researcher's view - the author carried out a comparison of the virtual and real interviews and set the differences between them. In the research he defined a new phenomenon in the virtual communication - the phenomenon of the multiplicity of the communication.
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The presented study is focused on the internet mediated communication, mainly in comparison to the face to face communication. The aim of the study is to review some publications and researches on how the perception of another person... more
The presented study is focused on the internet mediated communication, mainly in comparison to the face to face communication. The aim of the study is to review some publications and researches on how the perception of another person proceeds in electronic communication, how we perceive ourselves, our identity, what language we use, how this language differs from the language of face to face communication, and whether the style of both types of communication is different.
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The present chapter is intended to provide a theoretical and empirical overview of the link between technologies, body image, and eating behavior, particularly disordered eating. In general terms, body image refers to an individual’s... more
The present chapter is intended to provide a theoretical and empirical overview of the link between technologies, body image, and eating behavior, particularly disordered eating. In general terms, body image refers to an individual’s self-perception and cognitive appraisal of his or her own body. On the other hand, disordered eating refers to a wide spectrum of eating patterns characterized as being detrimental to health, such as self-induced vomiting. Both body image and disordered eating have been linked to mass media exposure. The majority of research to date has focused on the influence of mass media on body image attitudes, which, in turn, can shape eating patterns. Nevertheless, the influence of technology on body image and eating behavior goes far beyond mass media technologies. For instance, several decades ago, it was not possible to use the human body to communicate with machines, and now that can be done, using brain-computer interfaces. We have divided this chapter into two major sections. The first explores key concepts related to body image and develops three theoretically and empirically grounded major frameworks: a cognitive-behavioral model, a sociocultural model, and a cognitive neuroscience perspective. In the second section, we use those concepts to demonstrate the influence of both traditional media (e.g., television, magazines), and new media (e.g., the Internet) on body image and disordered eating. Moreover, we provide current evidence showing how immersive digital technologies, such as virtual reality, can be used for improving body image among individuals with eating- and weight-related pathologies. Finally, we provide some hypotheses on how emerging technologies (e.g., smart devices) could influence body image and eating behavior in the future.
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Research Interests:
The book you are now reading is the product of a research project launched almost 10 years ago. The World Internet Project is made up of many national reports written by different research teams in recent years. We have also been able to... more
The book you are now reading is the product of a research project
launched almost 10 years ago. The World Internet Project is made
up of many national reports written by different research teams in
recent years. We have also been able to deliver to the academic
community and society at large international reports that address
the comparative dimensions tapping cross-national and crosscultural similarities and differences in the uses of the Internet. But this is the first time the data gathered by the World Internet Project are published with the aim to develop new hypotheses regarding the role of the Internet in changing our lives and societies.
In the pages that follow, we will share with readers various insights on the role of the Internet in changing our societies,
economies and cultures. Contributions to this book come not just
from different countries but also from different scientific fields and different scientific cultures. In this introduction, we would like to offer a brief historical account on the development of WIP and walk readers through a roadmap of the ideas behind the organization as well as the content of the different chapters in this book.
launched almost 10 years ago. The World Internet Project is made
up of many national reports written by different research teams in
recent years. We have also been able to deliver to the academic
community and society at large international reports that address
the comparative dimensions tapping cross-national and crosscultural similarities and differences in the uses of the Internet. But this is the first time the data gathered by the World Internet Project are published with the aim to develop new hypotheses regarding the role of the Internet in changing our lives and societies.
In the pages that follow, we will share with readers various insights on the role of the Internet in changing our societies,
economies and cultures. Contributions to this book come not just
from different countries but also from different scientific fields and different scientific cultures. In this introduction, we would like to offer a brief historical account on the development of WIP and walk readers through a roadmap of the ideas behind the organization as well as the content of the different chapters in this book.
Research Interests:
This book reflects the current issues in today's life in society which are influenced by digital media. In four parts, the book focuses on the field of online self-presentation and creating an impression; online networking among young... more
This book reflects the current issues in today's life in society which are influenced by digital media. In four parts, the book focuses on the field of online self-presentation and creating an impression; online networking among young people; digital betting and gaming; and political participation in the digital era. These topics are described using the latest research from the fields of psychology, sociology, media studies, and political science. The book explains and corrects many preconceived myths regarding the use of the Internet and digital media , such as online pornography, encounters with strangers from the Internet, and playing online games. The authors of this book are members – or connected researchers – to the Interdisciplinary Research Team on the Internet and Society (http://irtis.fss.muni.cz/), which covers a number of research projects focused on the Internet and cyberspace. This book is intended primarily for researchers, teachers, and students who are interested in the themes of life in the digital age. There may also be benefit for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and those who work with people who are somehow threatened via the Internet, such as by online addiction, betting, and so on.
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Digital Youth: The Role of Media in Development recognizes the important role of digital tools in the lives of teenagers and presents both the risks and benefits of these new interactive technologies. From social networking to instant... more
Digital Youth: The Role of Media in Development recognizes the important role of digital tools in the lives of teenagers and presents both the risks and benefits of these new interactive technologies. From social networking to instant messaging to text messaging, the authors create an informative and relevant guidebook that goes beyond description to include developmental theory and implications. Also woven throughout the book is an international sensitivity and understanding that clarifies how, despite the widespread popularity of digital communication, technology use varies between groups globally. Other specific topics addressed include: Sexuality on the Internet. Online identity and self-presentation. Morality, ethics, and civic engagement. Technology and health. Violence, cyberbullying, and victimization. Excessive Internet use and addictive behavior.
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Research Interests:
The chapter examines the management of online privacy on Social Network Sites (SNS) among children and adolescents. Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM) was selected as the primary theoretical framework for capturing... more
The chapter examines the management of online privacy on Social Network Sites (SNS) among children and adolescents. Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM) was selected as the primary theoretical framework for capturing the process of privacy management and boyd’s features and dynamics of networked publics were used to depict the specific affordances of the SNS environment. Using qualitative cross-national data from European children aged 9–16 from the EU Kids Online III project, the chapter illustrates how current children manage their privacy on SNS and show in which aspects this process has become problematized. Using the CPM framework, several components of children’s privacy management on SNS are described: The perception of the ownership (and loss thereof) of private information; different types of control over the published information and the online audience; the rules which guide the control and overall online behavior, including the co-ownership of private information; and the boundary turbulences that lead to the co-construction of privacy rules and boundaries on SNS.
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Research Interests:
Adolescence is a period of tremendous change and many view it as a period of “storm and stress.” Although we now know that adolescence is not always a turbulent period, the storm and stress view, has come to frame questions about the role... more
Adolescence is a period of tremendous change and many view it as a period of “storm and stress.” Although we now know that adolescence is not always a turbulent period, the storm and stress view, has come to frame questions about the role of interactive technologies in adolescent development, the focus of this book. In this chapter, we present the developmental approach that we use throughout the book to examine the role of digital media in adolescent development. The first part of the chapter reviews some of the lessons learnt from developmental psychology. We briefly describe three core adolescent developmental issues – sexuality, identity, and intimacy – around which the first part of this book is organized. Then we argue that we must treat digital worlds as another social context for adolescent development along the lines of familiar ones such as families, peers, and schools. The second part of the chapter examines the role of digital media during adolescence and presents our co-construction model of adolescents’ online behavior, which suggests that adolescents’ online and offline worlds are psychologically connected. Consequently, adolescents may bring the issues and people from their offline worlds to their online ones. We discuss the implications of our co-construction model for understanding the role of digital media in young people’s development.
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The period of adolescence involves growth, adaptation, and dramatic reorganization in almost every aspect of social and psychological development. The Encyclopedia of Adolescence offers an exhaustive and comprehensive review of current... more
The period of adolescence involves growth, adaptation, and dramatic reorganization in almost every aspect of social and psychological development. The Encyclopedia of Adolescence offers an exhaustive and comprehensive review of current theory and research findings pertaining to this critical decade of life. Leading scientists offer accessible and easily readable reviews of biological, social, educational, occupational, and cultural factors that shape adolescent development. Issues in normative development, individual differences, and psychopathology/maladjustment are reviewed. This chapter focuses on adolescents use of media and technology.
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Research Interests:
This study investigated addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden. Data were collected via interviews with 592 respondents from Chile, 1381 respondents from the Czech Republic and 2057 respondents from... more
This study investigated addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden. Data were collected via interviews with 592 respondents from Chile, 1381 respondents from the Czech Republic and 2057 respondents from Sweden. This study presents data on the prevalence of addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, which was measured using a 10 item scale evaluating the dimensions of excessive Internet use (cognitive and behavioral salience, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflicts, mood modification and problems with limiting time online). A comparison was (also) done of the prevalence of two dimensions of addictive behavior on the Internet (conflict and mood modification) among users in Chile, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The international comparison revealed that Internet users in the Czech Republic and Chile scored similar and higher than Swedes in dimensions of conflict and mood modification. Swedes also had a lower incidence of 'dangerous' online activities, such as visiting chat rooms or playing online games and greater tendency to carry out 'practical activities', such as using bank services. We speculate that the proneness to addictive behavior seems to be closely adherent to applications and patterns of Internet use in different countries. Regarding age, in all three countries, the youngest Internet users aged 16 to 19 years scored highest in both addictive behavior dimensions, while those aged 46 and older had the lowest score. Regarding the prevalence of addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, results show that a total of 3.4% of Internet users could be described as having developed addictive behavior on the Internet and another 3.7% of Internet users are 'endangered' by addictive potential of the Internet.
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The chapter summarizes research about Czech adolescents using the Internet. One part of the contribution deals with online identity construction which seems to play an important role in the development of identity and self-concept. The... more
The chapter summarizes research about Czech adolescents using the Internet. One part of the contribution deals with online identity construction which seems to play an important role in the development of identity and self-concept. The second main division consists of the online risk behavior which adolescents may face to. The authors discuss the addiction on the Internet, pro-ana blogs as well as self-damaging in blogs.
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This report describes the results of testing of authentication methods and applications for smartphones, including the methodology that was used. We want to determine the authentication methods that are perceived as secure and... more
This report describes the results of testing of authentication methods and applications for smartphones, including the methodology that was used. We want to determine the authentication methods that are perceived as secure and user-friendly by the end users, and which methods users would prefer. This technical report may be of interest to security experts, IT security managers, UX experts, and researchers in the field of usable security. The report can help them understand user evaluation of the methods and the factors that influence it.
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It only takes witnessing a few interactions within modern western families to realize how much the experience of childhood has changed. The use of digital technologies peaks out and its impacts on childhood, education, learning and safety... more
It only takes witnessing a few interactions within modern western families to realize how much the experience of childhood has changed. The use of digital technologies peaks out and its impacts on childhood, education, learning and safety has been at question over the last years. Since a very early age, video watching and gaming on a variety of internet-connected devices are among children's favourite activities. Parents see digital technologies as positive and unavoidable, if not necessary, but at the same time, find managing their use challenging. They would appreciate advice on fostering children’s online skills and safety. The document reports on results of a cross-national analysis building on data coming from 234 family interviews with both children and parents, carried out from September 2014 until April 2017 in 21 countries. It exposes the key findings regarding first children’s usage, perceptions of the digital technologies and their digital skills in the home context but also on parents’ perceptions, attitudes, and strategies. Beside the cross-national analysis, a dedicated section provides contextualized snapshots of the study results at national level. It then takes a close up on 58 families in ten countries in which researchers came for a second interview distant of one year monitoring. Conclusion reflect on the potential benefits, risks and consequences associated with their (online) interactions with digital technologies and provide recommendations to policymakers, industry, parents and carers.
Research Interests: Sociology of Children and Childhood, Digital Media, Early Childhood Education, Parenting, Anthropology of Children and Childhood, and 10 moreDigital Media & Learning, Early Childhood Literacy, Early Childhood, Early Childhood Care and Education, Childhood studies, Childhood, Parenting Styles, Early Childhood Curriculum, Early Childhood Development, and Early Childhood Teacher Education
Despite the growing number of very young children who go online and who are using a wide range of technologies, little is known about children’s interactions with those technologies. This report presents a pilot qualitative study designed... more
Despite the growing number of very young children who go online and who are using a wide range of technologies, little is known about children’s interactions with those technologies. This report presents a pilot qualitative study designed and implemented in collaboration with a selected group of academic partners in different European countries that aims at pioneering in Europe the exploration of young children and their families` experiences with new technologies. It presents its results and discuss the findings at cross-national level on how children between zero and eight engage with digital technologies such as smartphones, tablets, computers and games; how far parents mediate this engagement and their awareness on the risks-opportunities balance. The report concludes on recommendations to parents, industries and policymakers.
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In this report, the findings of qualitative research from the EU Kids Online III study are presented. The research included children who used the internet weekly. The children were from nine European countries: Belgium, the Czech... more
In this report, the findings of qualitative research from the EU Kids Online III study are presented. The research included children who used the internet weekly. The children were from nine European countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
This research focused on the following: what children perceive as being potentially negative or problematic while using the internet, what risks children are aware of when using the internet, what consequences online negative experiences might have, how children react to negative experiences, what children do to avoid or prevent these problematic experiences, and why children perceive certain situations as negative.
- Interviews and focus groups were used to collect children’s data. The main fieldwork, using the revised research procedures guide and the topic guide, was carried out from February to September 2013 in all nine countries, with children aged 9–16 (N = 378). Schools or youth centers were used to recruit children for 56 focus groups and 114 interviews.
- The term “children” refers to children aged 9–16. Internet usage refers to a variety of activities across various platforms, which can be accessed anywhere, alone, or with others.
This research focused on the following: what children perceive as being potentially negative or problematic while using the internet, what risks children are aware of when using the internet, what consequences online negative experiences might have, how children react to negative experiences, what children do to avoid or prevent these problematic experiences, and why children perceive certain situations as negative.
- Interviews and focus groups were used to collect children’s data. The main fieldwork, using the revised research procedures guide and the topic guide, was carried out from February to September 2013 in all nine countries, with children aged 9–16 (N = 378). Schools or youth centers were used to recruit children for 56 focus groups and 114 interviews.
- The term “children” refers to children aged 9–16. Internet usage refers to a variety of activities across various platforms, which can be accessed anywhere, alone, or with others.
Research Interests:
To protect children from online risks, it is important to recognise that children’s perceptions of online problematic situations may greatly differ from those of adults. What adults perceive as problematic does not necessarily result in a... more
To protect children from online risks, it is important to recognise that children’s perceptions of online problematic situations may greatly differ from those of adults. What adults perceive as problematic does not necessarily result in a negative or harmful experience for children. This report shows that children’s perceptions of online risks strongly depend on their awareness of how online activities may turn into problematic or harmful situations. Also important is their knowledge of effective preventive measures, since it appears that when children feel capable of dealing with a risk they are less fearful or worried by it. Children expressed a range of concerns about online problems that sometime bother or upset them. The salient risks in children’s eyes are online bullying and harassment, unwelcome contact from strangers, misuse of personal information, issues related to sexual content or communication, and commercial content. Looking at the media platforms where these incidents occur, about half of unpleasant online experiences happen on social networking sites such as Facebook. While children acknowledge the potential risks of social networking sites, they do not necessarily do something to avoid the risk. However, when they do feel capable of dealing with the risk, they are less fearful or worried about it. These new findings result from the qualitative analysis of 57 focus groups and 113 personal interviews with children aged 9 to 16. In total, 349 children from nine different European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and UK) were invited to explain what they perceive as problematic or harmful online, and what they do to prevent harm from occurring.
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This report presents new findings and further analysis of the EU Kids Online 25 country survey regarding excessive use of the internet by children. It shows that while a number of children (29%) have experienced one or more of the five... more
This report presents new findings and further analysis of the EU Kids Online 25 country survey regarding excessive use of the internet by children. It shows that while a number of children (29%) have experienced one or more of the five components associated with excessive internet use, very few (1%) can be said to show pathological levels of use.
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The present literature review aims to summarize current knowledge on coping with cyberbullying. Coping strategies are defined as responses (behaviours, but also emotions/cognitions) that are successful (or unsuccessful) against... more
The present literature review aims to summarize current knowledge on coping with cyberbullying.
Coping strategies are defined as responses (behaviours, but also emotions/cognitions) that are
successful (or unsuccessful) against cyberbullying. We differentiate between three different coping
domains: reducing risks, combatting the problem, and buffering negative impact. A systematic
literature search was conducted yielding 36 relevant papers. Most of these papers report findings
regarding general prevention strategies (e.g. anti-bullying policies or cybersafety strategies) and the
use of coping strategies such as seeking support, reactions towards cyberbullies (retaliation or
confronting), technical solutions and avoidant and emotion-focused strategies. A few studies report on
perceived success whereas only a very few studies measure the success of the strategies in relation to
cyberbullying, its risks and outcomes. In sum, although there are a number of studies investigating the
use of coping strategies, there is a clear lack of evidence concerning the question on what are
successful coping strategies. Based on the current lack of sound empirical data, the report suggests
future research strategies.
Coping strategies are defined as responses (behaviours, but also emotions/cognitions) that are
successful (or unsuccessful) against cyberbullying. We differentiate between three different coping
domains: reducing risks, combatting the problem, and buffering negative impact. A systematic
literature search was conducted yielding 36 relevant papers. Most of these papers report findings
regarding general prevention strategies (e.g. anti-bullying policies or cybersafety strategies) and the
use of coping strategies such as seeking support, reactions towards cyberbullies (retaliation or
confronting), technical solutions and avoidant and emotion-focused strategies. A few studies report on
perceived success whereas only a very few studies measure the success of the strategies in relation to
cyberbullying, its risks and outcomes. In sum, although there are a number of studies investigating the
use of coping strategies, there is a clear lack of evidence concerning the question on what are
successful coping strategies. Based on the current lack of sound empirical data, the report suggests
future research strategies.
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This article discusses children contacting new people online and going to face to face meetings with these people. Analyses of the EU Kids Online II project data (2009-2011) showed that older children, girls and more frequent,... more
This article discusses children contacting new people online and going to face to face meetings with these people. Analyses of the EU Kids Online II project data (2009-2011) showed that older children, girls and more frequent, self-confident communicators are more likely to expand their social circle through contacting new people online. Meeting new people online was also related to sensation seeking, risky offline behaviours, emotional problems and problematic internet-related activities, such as exposure to online sexual content and excessive internet use. Despite this activity is affecting only a small number of children, this could be ground for concern.
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Using data collected from the EU Kids Online II project, a random stratified sample of 18.709 adolescents aged 11-16 years, from 25 European countries, was used to analyse the relationship between excessive Internet use (EIU) and a set... more
Using data collected from the EU Kids Online II project, a random stratified sample of 18.709 adolescents aged 11-16 years, from 25 European countries, was used to analyse the relationship between excessive Internet use (EIU) and a set of psychological, behavioural, and demographic variables. At a European level, psychological variables were the best predictors, accounting for more of the variation in EIU than both behavioural and demographic variables combined. On a national level, the most stable predictor was emotional difficulties, while all the other variables shifted across countries.
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The article deals with the subject of attending online communities by users of different age groups. We analyze a representative sample of Czech population aged 12 years and older, the whole sample consisting of 1,586 respondents, and... more
The article deals with the subject of attending online communities by users of different age groups. We analyze a representative sample of Czech population aged 12 years and older, the whole sample consisting of 1,586 respondents, and analyzed replies of 862 Internet users. The research was carried out in September 2007 by face-to-face interviews. We show that older adolescents aged 16 – 19 years are the most common attendants of virtual groups and that participation decreases with age. Adolescents are also less inhibited in online communities and, if what they claim is true, it seems that virtual groups enrich their lives more than other users. Adolescents have higher needs of meeting people in groups in general and therefore their behavior on the Internet is similar as in real life. The fact that adolescents are less inhibited in these communities could also be caused by them feeling the urge to develop their identities.
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Presented paper focuses on adolescent weblogs with emphasis on the frequency of lying. 120 experienced adolescent bloggers were contacted to fill an online questionnaire. 12 respondents were also contacted in face-to-face meetings and the... more
Presented paper focuses on adolescent weblogs with emphasis on the frequency of lying. 120 experienced adolescent bloggers were contacted to fill an online questionnaire. 12 respondents were also contacted in face-to-face meetings and the presented data was verified. The results show a very low frequency of lying in weblogs. A higher tendency to lying was found in younger adolescents. Overall, respondents lied least often about age, gender and school related information, while lying most often about partnership and their family situation. Such weblogs seem to create a space for communication between a person and a few other individuals (schoolmates) and support thoughts that experienced users of certain applications on the Internet tend to use an identity corresponding with their real one.
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The paper deals with differences in the Internet use as a means of communication in the Czech Republic from the point of view of Internet users' gender and age. It aims at depicting the differences in pretending to have a different... more
The paper deals with differences in the Internet use as a means of communication in the Czech Republic from the point of view of Internet users' gender and age. It aims at depicting the differences in pretending to have a different identity in the virtual environment. The presented questions were included in a questionnaire survey carried out within the framework of the international "World Internet Project" research. The survey sampled 1,832 respondents aged 12 years or more. It has been revealed that, from the point of view of Internet preference as a means of communication, there are only statistically insignificant differences between men and women; however, it is men who tend to claim, more often than women, to be more open on the Internet than in the real world. Furthermore, they also admit pretending a new identity. There have been large differences in virtual communication preference according to the respondents' age: adolescents and young people tend to prefer substantially more often the Internet as a means of communication than older people. At the same time, it is adolescents rather than adults who tend to experiment more with their identity in the virtual environment.
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The first chapter of this book introduces the role of digital technology in eating behaviors and eating disorders. It provides information concerning the prevalence of digital technology usage within current society and depicts questions... more
The first chapter of this book introduces the role of digital technology in eating behaviors and eating disorders. It provides information concerning the prevalence of digital technology usage within current society and depicts questions that have been asked with regard to the consequences of this behavior. Then it defines the key terms of the book: eating behaviors and eating disorders. With regard to eating behaviors, the chapter illustrates the book’s complex perspective upon the description of the theoretical model, which is comprised of factors on the levels of individuals, social environments, physical environments, and macrosystem. Eating disorders are presented as a specific form of unhealthy eating behaviors and are also described in relation to diverse factors contributing to their development. Then the concepts of eHealth and mHealth are defined and framed within the book’s perspective. Then, it is specified how the book focuses on a broad continuum of possible effects of digital technologies, from those enhancing healthy eating behaviors to those that encourage disordered eating. Finally, the introduction provides a short summary of all book chapters. It specifies what readers can expect from the book’s two main sections, the first of which is focused generally on the role of digital technology in eating behaviors, while the second specifically addresses the issue of this role in eating disorders development, as well as treatment. Specifically, it is described how the book provides deeper insight into issues such as the role of digital technology in health, the problematic nature of information accessible online, the impact of technology on body image, the social influence or social support found in online groups, and the use of mobile technology in eating management. In the second section, specific attention is given to the issue of eating disorders, which are discussed with regard to the experiences with digital technology of users with this disorder, recommendations for healthcare professionals, and a review of prevention and treatment programs using digital technologies.
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The chapter provides an overview of the impact of technology use on human health. Nowadays, new communication technologies are widely used to address health issues. These technologies provide opportunities both to gather information and... more
The chapter provides an overview of the impact of technology use on human health. Nowadays, new communication technologies are widely used to address health issues. These technologies provide opportunities both to gather information and to easily communicate with health specialists or others to maintain, monitor, or optimize individual health. This chapter describes specific technology-based environments that deal with matters of health. These include websites, discussion boards, social networking sites, blogs, online video-sharing platforms, and mobile/wearable devices. The chapter then presents the most prominent theoretical frameworks mentioned in the research to illustrate and explain the relationship between the digital technology and health. Theoretical models depicted in the chapter provide a framework for explaining why people chose certain health-related media over others, the likelihood that individuals will adopt a new technology for treating health issues, the impact of excessive time spent using technology on health, and also health behavior change. Moreover, the effects of technology use on specific components of health (mental, social, and physical well-being) are discussed. There is a variety of positive effects of technology on health, such as delivering cost-effective, tailored health promotion, enabling social contacts, and providing a large amount of health-related information. However, research has revealed several risks associated with technology use, such as higher risk of stress, Internet addiction, or specific unfavorable health conditions, such as overweight, obesity, or eating disorders.
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Adolescents use media that exposes them to sexual material. This study focused on adolescents in the Czech Republic, a country with relatively high rates of exposure to sexual material (ESM). A sample of adolescents aged 11 to 15 years (... more
Adolescents use media that exposes them to sexual material. This study focused on adolescents in the Czech Republic, a country with relatively high rates of exposure to sexual material (ESM). A sample of adolescents aged 11 to 15 years ( N = 495) taken from the project EU Kids Online II was examined for predictors of the following: frequency of ESM, place of ESM, and, for online ESM, the types of sites. The only predictors of sporadic ESM were age and excessive Internet use, while age, gender, sensation seeking, and excessive Internet use were predictors of frequent ESM. Age and excessive Internet use were predictors only of ESM online, while age, gender, emotional problems, sensation seeking, and excessive Internet use were predictors of ESM in online and offline environments. High ESM is linked to adolescent vulnerability and also to adolescent psychosexual development. The implications of these findings are discussed in this article.
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The chapter presents an overview of the main issues concerning the seeking and assessment of online information related to health and eating behaviors. It provides an overview of the prevalence of online health information and introduces... more
The chapter presents an overview of the main issues concerning the seeking and assessment of online information related to health and eating behaviors. It provides an overview of the prevalence of online health information and introduces salient factors related to the tendency to seek online information. Specifically, it discusses the role of demographics, digital and eHealth literacy, health status, and trust and distrust of diverse sources. The chapter then elaborates on the specific character of the online information with a discussion of the benefits and risks connected with its use, specifically related to quality. In this regard, the role of source expertise as well as perceived trustworthiness of diverse online and offline sources is discussed. The chapter also provides concrete examples of potential harms connected with the use of low-quality information and several examples of research evaluating health information that are available on different kinds of platforms. The las...
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The present chapter provides an overview of prevention and treatment strategies using digital technologies to target eating disorders. We review the development of the prevention and treatment discourse, which has added digital... more
The present chapter provides an overview of prevention and treatment strategies using digital technologies to target eating disorders. We review the development of the prevention and treatment discourse, which has added digital technologies to its repertoire of tools in the last two decades. Next, we review current research on approaches proven effective in technology-based prevention and treatment of eating disorders, we sum up the advantages and limitations of the use of digital technologies in this field, and we give specific examples of current prevention and treatment programs. We put more focus on methods proven effective in treatment and prevention of eating disorders, so that professionals can access knowledge which may be applied in their practice. Further, we discuss some of the basic conditions identified in research as essential for technology-based methods of prevention and treatment to be effective. For prevention, these conditions include the focus on specific characteristics of vulnerable populations, interactivity, and multi-session structured programs. In the case of treatment, psychotherapy using technology as a communication medium and guided technology-based self-help were superior to strategies which rely on unguided self-help. Generally, technology-based prevention and treatment have been proven as efficacious and cost-effective in reducing characteristics related to eating disorders. However, there is some evidence that face-to-face approaches may be more effective. In the case of prevention, it is much more difficult to reduce the incidence of eating disorders than to reduce of some eating disorders related characteristics in people.
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Kniha představuje vybrana rizika, se kterými se dnesni děti mohou na internetu setkat. Pozornost je upřena na jejich výskyt a důsledky, dale na vymezeni ohrožených skupin dětských uživatelů internetu a neposledně na možna preventivni ci... more
Kniha představuje vybrana rizika, se kterými se dnesni děti mohou na internetu setkat. Pozornost je upřena na jejich výskyt a důsledky, dale na vymezeni ohrožených skupin dětských uživatelů internetu a neposledně na možna preventivni ci intervencni opatřeni. Zaměrem knihy je mimo jine se prostřednictvim aktualnich zjistěni z ceských a zahranicnich studii vymezit vůci mýtům a různým intuitivnim zkratkam, ktere v souvislosti s použivanim internetu vznikly. Každa kapitola se věnuje konkretni problematice – zavislosti na internetu, sdileni informaci na socialnich sitich, navazovani online kontaktů s neznamými lidmi a setkavani se s nimi tvaři v tvař, vystaveni se sexualnim obsahům, kybersikana a clenstvi v online rizikových komunitach. Pro hlubsi porozuměni specifikům online rizik lze v knize najit i kapitoly přibližujici kontext použivani internetu dětmi a v neposledni řadě způsoby, jakými rodice usměrňuji sve děti v aktivitach na internetu. Kniha je urcena pro sirsi odbornou veřejnost a pro ty, kteři v ramci sve profese pracuji s dětmi a mladeži.
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Kniha představuje relativně nový spolecenský jev, jemuž se v soucasnosti dostava velke pozornosti ve skolstvi, v mediich i v akademickem světě. Ctenař se seznami s jevy, ktere s kybersikanou souviseji (agrese a agresivni chovani), s... more
Kniha představuje relativně nový spolecenský jev, jemuž se v soucasnosti dostava velke pozornosti ve skolstvi, v mediich i v akademickem světě. Ctenař se seznami s jevy, ktere s kybersikanou souviseji (agrese a agresivni chovani), s rozdily oproti tradicni (skolni) sikaně a s tim, jak je tato nova forma sikany formovana specifickým charakterem online prostředi. Prostor je věnovan i kybersikaně v ceskem a světovem kontextu a jejimu medialnimu obrazu. Podrobně jsou představeny charakteristiky jejich akterů – oběti, agresorů i přihližejicich. Pozornost je upřena tež na možne dopady kybersikany a na způsoby, jakými se s ni jeji oběti vyrovnavaji. Zavěrecna cast knihy je zaměřena na možnosti prevence a zvladani tohoto jevu na individualni, rodinne a institucionalni rovině.
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Digital technologies have become an integral part of our lives. Many clients with eating disorders use digital technologies daily; the Internet plays an important role in their lives, enhancing (or creating) both positive and negative... more
Digital technologies have become an integral part of our lives. Many clients with eating disorders use digital technologies daily; the Internet plays an important role in their lives, enhancing (or creating) both positive and negative experiences. This chapter is an attempt to increase our understanding of the roles of digital technologies in the everyday lives of young people who face eating disorders. Most of the research in this area has focused on the manifestations of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa online; much of the research has involved discussion of so-called pro-ED websites (pro-ana, which means supportive of anorexia nervosa, and pro-mia, which refers to websites advocating for bulimia) as well as pro-recovery websites. However, little is known about the range of online behavior performed by those who suffer from an eating disorder. This chapter describes various online activities, including diverse patterns of online behavior and the use of online information, in t...
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A summary of current knowledge on successful responses to cyberbullying differentiating between three different response domains: reducing risks, combatting the problem, and buffering negative impact. A systematic literature search... more
A summary of current knowledge on successful responses to cyberbullying differentiating between three different response domains: reducing risks, combatting the problem, and buffering negative impact. A systematic literature search yielded thirty-six relevant studies, most of which report findings regarding general prevention strategies (e.g., anti-bullying policies or cybersafety strategies) and the use of coping strategies such as seeking support, responding (retaliation or confronting), technical solutions, and avoidant and emotion-focussed strategies. Whilst a few studies report perceived success, very few measure the success of the strategies in relation to risks and outcomes. There is a clear lack of evidence concerning successful responses.
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This chapter provides concluding remarks concerning the topics discussed throughout the whole book. First, it discusses the complexity of the studied problematic areas and points out several issues important to consider in the assessment... more
This chapter provides concluding remarks concerning the topics discussed throughout the whole book. First, it discusses the complexity of the studied problematic areas and points out several issues important to consider in the assessment of the impact of technology—specifically, what users perceive as beneficial might not be seen as beneficial from the point of view of society. Second, technology usage is a complex process that can result in a variety of outcomes, which may be either intended or unintended. Third, it is crucial to consider these factors on individual, social, and national levels, which are all connected to eating behaviors and technology usage. The chapter then summarizes the major risks and benefits related to topics discussed in each chapter. It specifies how digital technology usage depends on the needs, motivations, and goals of its users, which determine both the expected benefits and potential risks of their usage. This is shown in every major topic of this bo...
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This report presents the results of a qualitative study made over seventeen countries exploring how children between zero and eight engage with digital technologies, how far parents mediate this engagement and their awareness on the... more
This report presents the results of a qualitative study made over seventeen countries exploring how children between zero and eight engage with digital technologies, how far parents mediate this engagement and their awareness on the risksopportunities balance. It concludes on recommendations to parents, schools, industries and policymakers. Title Young children (0-8) and digital technology, a qualitative study across Europe How digital technology is used by young children today? • Today, young children between o and 8 acquire their digital skills mainly in the home context. • Young children learn quickly by observing and mirroring the behaviour of the adults and older children close to themparents and older siblings following a trial and error strategy not exempt of risks. • Yet young children lack of agency and of clear representation of the tools they use daily such as the Internet, Wi-Fi or social networks. • Young children diversify their digital skills and are more aware of ris...
Research Interests: Education, Art, Digital Media, Children and Families, Digital Technology, and 15 moreEarly Childhood Education, Anthropology of Children and Childhood, Early Childhood Literacy, Children and Media, Early Childhood, Early Childhood Care and Education, Educación, Childhood studies, Childhood, Cyber Psychology, Child and Family Psychology, Early Childhood Curriculum, Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Teacher Education, and Digital Media Learning
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The present chapter is intended to provide a theoretical and empirical overview of the link between technologies, body image, and eating behavior, particularly disordered eating. In general terms, body image refers to an individual’s... more
The present chapter is intended to provide a theoretical and empirical overview of the link between technologies, body image, and eating behavior, particularly disordered eating. In general terms, body image refers to an individual’s self-perception and cognitive appraisal of his or her own body. On the other hand, disordered eating refers to a wide spectrum of eating patterns characterized as being detrimental to health, such as self-induced vomiting. Both body image and disordered eating have been linked to mass media exposure. The majority of research to date has focused on the influence of mass media on body image attitudes, which, in turn, can shape eating patterns. Nevertheless, the influence of technology on body image and eating behavior goes far beyond mass media technologies. For instance, several decades ago, it was not possible to use the human body to communicate with machines, and now that can be done, using brain-computer interfaces. We have divided this chapter into ...
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This chapter reports on a study conducted in seven countries in which young children’s (aged under 8) digital practices in the home were examined. The study explored family practices with regard to access to and use of technologies,... more
This chapter reports on a study conducted in seven countries in which young children’s (aged under 8) digital practices in the home were examined. The study explored family practices with regard to access to and use of technologies, tracing the ways in which families managed risks and opportunities. Seventy families participated in the study, and interviews were undertaken with both parents and children, separately and together, in order to address the research aims. This chapter focuses on the data relating to parental mediation of young children’s digital practices. Findings indicate that parents used a narrow range of strategies in comparison to parents of older children, primarily because they considered their children too young to be at risk when using technologies. However, children’s own reports suggested that some were able to access online sites independently from a young age and would have benefitted from more support and intervention. The implications of the study for future research and practice are considered.
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Abstract This study investigates the structural relationship between two types of cyberaggression: cyberhate and cyberbullying. Cyberhate is online hate speech that attacks collective identities. Cyberbullying is defined by the intent to... more
Abstract This study investigates the structural relationship between two types of cyberaggression: cyberhate and cyberbullying. Cyberhate is online hate speech that attacks collective identities. Cyberbullying is defined by the intent to harm, its repeated nature, and a power imbalance. Considering these features and the shared commonalities, we used survey data from adolescents from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia (N = 3,855, aged 11–17) to examine the relationship between them. We tested a bifactor model with the general common risk factor and two distinct factors of cyberhate and cyberbullying. We also tested alternative one-factor and two-factor models. The bifactor structure showed the best fit and allowed for the further examination of the unique and common features of cyberhate and cyberbullying by testing their associations with selected risk and protective factors. The results showed that the general risk factor was associated with higher age, emotional problems, and time spent online. Individual-based discrimination was associated with cyberbullying and the general risk factor. Group-based discrimination was associated with cyberhate and cyberbullying. Exposure to harmful online content was associated with all factors. Considering that prior research did not sufficiently differentiate between these two phenomena, our study provides an empirically-based delimitation to help to identify their shared basis and differences.
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Research Interests: Psychology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Health Behavior, Sports & Exercise Pychology, Internet Studies, and 12 moreNutrition, Medicine, Fitness, The Internet, Online Consumer Behavior, Health and Fitness, Exercise Science, Overweight, Dieting, Weight Loss, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Previous research has focused on the associations between technology use and children's health, using mainly quantitative designs. This qualitative study describes technology's impact on physical and mental health from... more
Previous research has focused on the associations between technology use and children's health, using mainly quantitative designs. This qualitative study describes technology's impact on physical and mental health from children's perspectives. The differences between children's experiences and awareness of the health-related consequences associated with digital media use were examined. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with children between the ages of 9 and 16 in nine European countries (N = 368). Results of this study indicate that children's experiences of health-related technology impacts are different from their awareness of these impacts. Children's direct experiences with media were less extreme in contrast to their awareness of health problems, which typically involved extreme examples of possible consequences, such as killing people, kidnapping, blindness, and developing learning or psychological disorders. The results are discussed in the c...
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Kniha představuje relativně nový společenský jev, jemuž se v současnosti dostává velké pozornosti ve školství, v médiích i v akademickém světě. Čtenář se seznámí s jevy, které s kyberšikanou souvisejí (agrese a agresivní chování), s... more
Kniha představuje relativně nový společenský jev, jemuž se v současnosti dostává velké pozornosti ve školství, v médiích i v akademickém světě. Čtenář se seznámí s jevy, které s kyberšikanou souvisejí (agrese a agresivní chování), s rozdíly oproti tradiční (školní) šikaně a s tím, jak je tato nová forma šikany formována specifickým charakterem online prostředí. Prostor je věnován i kyberšikaně v českém a světovém kontextu a jejímu mediálnímu obrazu. Podrobně jsou představeny charakteristiky jejích aktérů – obětí, agresorů i přihlížejících. Pozornost je upřena též na možné dopady kyberšikany a na způsoby, jakými se s ní její oběti vyrovnávají. Závěrečná část knihy je zaměřena na možnosti prevence a zvládání tohoto jevu na individuální, rodinné a institucionální rovině.
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ABSTRACT This article discusses children contacting new people online and going to face to face meetings with these people. Analyses of the EU Kids Online II project data (2009-2011) showed that older children, girls and more frequent,... more
ABSTRACT This article discusses children contacting new people online and going to face to face meetings with these people. Analyses of the EU Kids Online II project data (2009-2011) showed that older children, girls and more frequent, self-confident communicators are more likely to expand their social circle through contacting new people online. Meeting new people online was also related to sensation seeking, risky offline behaviours, emotional problems and problematic internet-related activities, such as exposure to online sexual content and excessive internet use. Despite this activity is affecting only a small number of children, this could be ground for concern.
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Random samples of at least 1,000 youth, ages 9 to 16 years, from 25 European countries (N= 25,142) were used to test the salience of low self-control on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization (direct and indirect effects), framed by... more
Random samples of at least 1,000 youth, ages 9 to 16 years, from 25 European countries (N= 25,142) were used to test the salience of low self-control on cyberbullying perpetration and victimization (direct and indirect effects), framed by a cross-cultural developmental approach. Path models, which provided evidence of invariance by sex, tested the hypothesized links among low self-control as well as known correlates, including offline perpetration and victimization, and externalizing behaviours. Results showed positive ...
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ABSTRACT This study investigated addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden. Data were collected via interviews with 592 respondents from Chile, 1381 respondents from the Czech Republic and 2057 respondents... more
ABSTRACT This study investigated addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, Chile and Sweden. Data were collected via interviews with 592 respondents from Chile, 1381 respondents from the Czech Republic and 2057 respondents from Sweden. This study presents data on the prevalence of addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, which was measured using a 10 item scale evaluating the dimensions of excessive Internet use (cognitive and behavioral salience, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflicts, mood modification and problems with limiting time online). A comparison was (also) done of the prevalence of two dimensions of addictive behavior on the Internet (conflict and mood modification) among users in Chile, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The international comparison revealed that Internet users in the Czech Republic and Chile scored similar and higher than Swedes in dimensions of conflict and mood modification. Swedes also had a lower incidence of 'dangerous' online activities, such as visiting chat rooms or playing online games and greater tendency to carry out 'practical activities', such as using bank services. We speculate that the proneness to addictive behavior seems to be closely adherent to applications and patterns of Internet use in different countries. Regarding age, in all three countries, the youngest Internet users aged 16 to 19 years scored highest in both addictive behavior dimensions, while those aged 46 and older had the lowest score. Regarding the prevalence of addictive behavior on the Internet in the Czech Republic, results show that a total of 3.4% of Internet users could be described as having developed addictive behavior on the Internet and another 3.7% of Internet users are 'endangered' by addictive potential of the Internet.
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This report presents the findings from a survey of children aged 9–16 from 19 European countries. The data were collected between autumn 2017 and summer 2019 from 25,101 children by national teams from the EU Kids Online network. A... more
This report presents the findings from a survey of children aged 9–16 from 19 European countries. The data were collected between autumn 2017 and summer 2019 from 25,101 children by national teams from the EU Kids Online network. A theoretical model and a common methodology to guide this work was developed during four phases of the network’s work, and is discussed at the outset of this report. The main findings from the key topic areas are summarised, which correspond to the factors identified in the theoretical model: Access, Practices and skills, Risks and opportunities, and Social context. Throughout the report, findings are presented according to the countries surveyed, and the gender and age of the children. The survey findings are comparable across countries, and the methodology section presents the common methods followed.
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Research Interests: Perception, Mental Health, Focus Groups, Child Welfare, Qualitative Research, and 15 morePublic Health, Risk assessment, Adolescent, Humans, Child, Europe, Female, Male, Focus Group, Public health systems and services research, Internationality, Risk Assessment, Psychological Stress, Interviews as topic, and Stress Physiological
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RPG are based on deep connection between the player and the character (the role) what he plays. The players tend to hold similar psychological types (usually introverted intelectual men about 20 years old). On basis of the grounded theory... more
RPG are based on deep connection between the player and the character (the role) what he plays. The players tend to hold similar psychological types (usually introverted intelectual men about 20 years old). On basis of the grounded theory and analytical psychology there were carried out and analyzed 6 interviews in the research. Two main findings emerged: firstly, the player identifies himself with his character on the symbolic basis. The character is percieved as a part of player`s personality and simultaneously as something overlapping him. The relation between them is partially driven by unconsciousness - toward indirectness, dynamics of the game and open future. Secondly, two types of imagination were identified. In the game itself shared, concrete and narrative fantasies dominated while in out-game lone imagination the fantasies were object-related and had stellate organization. Both findings imply the simillarities between the character (role) and imaginative-based complex.
The majority of children in 19 European countries report using their smartphones ‘daily’ or ‘almost all the time’. This marks a substantial increase in both the proportion of smartphone-using children as well as the amount of their... more
The majority of children in 19 European countries report using their smartphones ‘daily’ or ‘almost all the time’. This marks a substantial increase in both the proportion of smartphone-using children as well as the amount of their internet use compared with the EU Kids Online 2010 survey.
The new report, EU Kids Online 2020: Survey results from 19 countries, maps the risks and opportunities of the internet for children in Europe. Among many other findings, the survey shows that the time children now spend online varies between about two hours per day (Switzerland) and three-and-a-half hours (Norway).
But while the time that children spend online each day has almost doubled in some countries, compared with 2010, many have yet to receive any online safety advice from parents, teachers or friends. However, when children have a negative experience online, they mostly speak to parents or friends, and only rarely tell teachers or professionals whose job it is to actually help them.
This report maps the internet access, online practices, skills, online risks and opportunities for children aged 9–16 in Europe. Teams of the EU Kids Online network collaborated between autumn 2017 and summer 2019 to conduct a major survey of 25,101 children in 19 European countries.
The new report, EU Kids Online 2020: Survey results from 19 countries, maps the risks and opportunities of the internet for children in Europe. Among many other findings, the survey shows that the time children now spend online varies between about two hours per day (Switzerland) and three-and-a-half hours (Norway).
But while the time that children spend online each day has almost doubled in some countries, compared with 2010, many have yet to receive any online safety advice from parents, teachers or friends. However, when children have a negative experience online, they mostly speak to parents or friends, and only rarely tell teachers or professionals whose job it is to actually help them.
This report maps the internet access, online practices, skills, online risks and opportunities for children aged 9–16 in Europe. Teams of the EU Kids Online network collaborated between autumn 2017 and summer 2019 to conduct a major survey of 25,101 children in 19 European countries.