Shared Destiny in the Digital Era: Sensation Seeking, Loneliness, and Excessive Internet Use among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Mainland China

Heng Yang and Jianbin Jin ()
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Heng Yang: School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Jianbin Jin: School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: With digital infrastructures becoming the foundation of modern life and a shared lifestyle, the internet has become a popular leisure tool for middle-aged and elderly individuals. However, inappropriate use of the internet can jeopardize their health and quality of life, and excessive internet use by middle-aged and older adults is a cause for concern. This study found that middle-aged and older adults are vulnerable to excessive internet use. One predictor of excessive use is loneliness, but its effect is relatively limited. It is a mediating variable rather than the essential cause of excessive internet use by middle-aged and older adults. The effect of sensation seeking is a strong predictor of middle-aged and older adults’ excessive internet use, which means they have a strong desire to use the internet to satisfy their emotional needs, thus, resulting in excessive internet use. The social nature of digital infrastructure in a relational framework and the impact of the internet on different populations are likely more complex than we imagine and have the potential to cause many unintended effects.

Keywords: excessive internet use; sensation seeking; loneliness; digital leisure; well-being; successful aging (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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