Psychophysiological markers of students’ Internet addiction in the era of digitalization

Bunin Yelets State University, 399770, Yelets, Russia

^* Corresponding author: main@elsu.ru

Abstract

The article is devoted to the current problem of Internet addiction of young people in the context of digitalization of modern education and the practical implementation of interactive learning technologies. The authors pay attention to the definitions of such concepts as virtual educational environment, virtual learning process, interactive learning. The article analyzes the manifestations and consequences of Internet addiction among modern youth. The authors emphasize that the psychophysiological mechanisms that can affect the development of Internet-dependent behavior are insufficiently studied. One of these mechanisms can be the inhibitory control, which, according to the authors of the article, is able to signal the presence of a danger of the formation of the Internet addiction.The article presents the results of an experimental study aimed at studying young men and women’s computer and Internet addiction with the help of “The method of screening diagnostics of computer dependence” (Yuryeva L.N., Bolbot T.Yu.) and the “Internet addiction” test by K. Young (adaptation by V.A. Loskutova). It was found that most of the subjects have a high level of dependence. Also, the assessment of the formation of the inhibitory control was carried out using the ReBOS technique, reflex metric measurements (by E. G. Vergunov). The authors concluded that young men and women with a higher degree of dependence demonstrate a low level of formation of the inhibitory control, subjects who have a lower degree of dependence both on a computer and on the Internet have a more flexible nervous system, which is indicated by the higher level of the inhibitory control formation. Thus, it can be assumed that students who are less dependent on the Internet will be able to adapt more easily to a fast-changing environment.