Cyber psychology - Overview of key research areas and findings

Od njezinog prvog službenog spominjanja (sredinom 90-ih godina) do danas Cyber se psihologija prometnula u jedno od najpropulzivnijih istraživačkih područja psihologije. Iako se konceptualno naslanja na psihologiju medija, te čini svojevrsnu njezinu ekstenziju, specifičnosti interakcije ljudi s novim tehnologijama stvorile su potrebu za novim teorijskim okvirima i istraživanjima. U ovom preglednom radu detaljnije su prikazana najčešće istraživana područja, ujedno i manje zastupljena u domaćoj literaturi. To su područja motiva i obrazaca korištenja novih tehnologija kod različitih korisnika, karakteristika kompjutorski posredovane komunikacije, stvaranja online identiteta i online samorazotkrivanja, te povezanosti korištenja tehnologija s dobrobiti. Iako su ponegdje zamjetni proturječni empirijski nalazi, sve veći broj metaanaliza polako pomaže uspostavi općih zaključaka, sugerirajući pritom iznimnu kompleksnost pitanja utjecaja novih tehnologija na ponašanje i doživljavanje pojedinca.From its first official mention (in the mid-90s) to the present day, Cyber psychology has emerged as one of the most propulsive research areas of psychology. Although it conceptually relies on the psychology of the media, and is somewise its extension, the specifics of human interaction with new technologies have created the need for new theoretical frameworks and empirical research. This review paper presents in more detail the most frequently researched areas, which are also less represented in the Croatian literature. These are the areas of motives and patterns of using new technologies among users with different characteristics, the specifics of computer mediated communication, the creation of online identity and online self-disclosure, and the relation between the use of technology and well-being. Although sometimes contradictory empirical findings are noticeable, an increasing number of meta-analyses slowly help to establish general conclusions, at the same time suggesting the exceptional complexity of the issue of the new technology influence on the mind and behavior of the individual