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The Psychology of the Internet
 
 
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The Psychology of the Internet [Kindle Edition]

Patricia Wallace (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews) |
Print List Price: £20.99
Kindle Price: £13.04 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

For Internet veterans, communicating by e-mail and arguing in newsgroups seem perfectly natural. Step back from the keyboard, though, and you might see some merit in Patricia Wallace's thesis that the Net "is a place where we humans are acting and interacting rather strangely at times". Her book explores on-line behaviours, mixing academic research and anecdote to create explanations that are both credible and accessible.

Despite the all-encompassing title, The Psychology of the Internet only deals with technologies that enable Net users to communicate directly: e-mail, newsgroups, chat and MUD-type environments (virtual worlds where people can experiment with alternative personas). The Web gets mentioned in passing, chiefly as a repository for personal home pages, but if you are a Web designer wanting to know how people feel about colour schemes or navigation tools, you've come to the wrong book.

Wallace starts by looking at on-line identities and group dynamics, then considers specific activities such as flaming (arguments), romance, addiction and altruism. A chapter on pornography avoids sensationalism, but ends weakly with, "We know too little about pornography on the Internet--who uses it and how it affects them--to draw any firm conclusions yet". There is also a chapter on gender issues.

You don't need a background in psychology or a wealth of technical expertise to get something from this book. It will make you think twice about the next e-mail you type and throw some light on your experiences, but there are no great revelations. Wallace just tells it as it is, moderately and sensibly. --Mary Lojkine

Review

Reviews of hardback: 'A refreshingly level-headed survey.' The Guardian

' … fascinating …'. The Independent
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Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 3072 KB
  • Print Length: 284 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0521797098
  • Publisher: Cambridge University Press (13 Sep 1999)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language English
  • ASIN: B002AKJ92S
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #326,898 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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More About the Author

Patricia M. Wallace
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Still a Masterpiece 4 Aug 2008
Format:Paperback
Can you write a book on social and psychological aspects of the internet which is not outdated 10 years after publication? Patricia Wallace manages the impossible. Written before the turn of the century, the book carefully describes and draws conclusions on internet behaviour and interaction. The observation that the advances and changes of the last decade have little impact on the findings are supportive of their validity and strength.

It's also entertaining to read and accessible for the non-psychologist. Recommended.
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Format:Hardcover
It is giving me a new perspective on what moves people to do what they do in the Internet - good or bad.
It is useful in case of spam fighting and cybercrime analysis but it is a surprise on good uses of the Net - Inspires and cultivates hope that the Internet can promote what is best in Human Beings.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:  10 reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Informative book on a brand new subject! 18 Jan 2000
By M. T. Guzman - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Supported by knowledge of recent research, the author provides insight into how people sometimes behave differently on the Internet than they do in real life. According to Wallace, behaviors based on psychology in real life often do not carry over into the virtual world in the same way. For frequent users of the Internet, this information is not startling but eye-opening. For those who use the Internet little or not at all, this is a well-presented introduction to the cyberworld. Although academic in tone, the book is easy to read as it explores the many facets of life on the "Net". Because it is based on clinical research, it gets a bit wearying near the end. However, be sure to read it in its entirety because it is well presented, very inclusive, and quite interesting. Since completing this book, I am more fully cognizant of the different behaviors of "Web" users each time I log on. This would include those inhabitants of cyberspace as well as those who dwell within my own home! :-)
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
A broad but surface coverage 3 July 2001
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Generally, the "The Psychology of the Internet" is a broad sweeping, albeit whirlwind, run through a wide gamut of psychological issues as they might--or might not--apply to the Internet. This is an important topic that could provide insight into how the Internet, as it becomes increasingly pervasive, will affect human relations. From my perspective, some of the more salient topics included the advantages and disadvantages of group interactions and the possibilities for conflict and resolution. Dr. Wallace provides a good analysis of some of the ways in which individual behavior changes on the Net and off. Additionally, the book covers a number of other topics, such as the psychology of "flaming," pornography, Internet addiction, altruism, and gender issues.

For those who are well read in the area of psychology on the Internet, there is a fair amount of rehashing of material that has been extensively covered elsewhere. For example, Dr. Sherry Turkle's 1995 "Life on the Screen," extensively discusses the fluidity of personalities on the web, the issues of anonymity, and the effects of computerized psychotherapy. Both Turkle's work, and the seminal work of Rheingold ("The Virtual Community"), have already extensively covered the peculiar nature of MUDs and Usenet, as well as the notorious cases of cyberrape on LambdaMOO and other cyberdeceptions. The book also relies heavily on the oft-cited studies of Amy Bruckman and Dr. Sara Kiesler.

In general, the topics that are presented appear to be well documented in a clear and accessible style with up-do-date information. Dr. Wallace has done an excellent job of presenting a full spectrum of psychological issues, although much of the discussion is on the state of research on the issue in general, with follow-on discussion as to how it would apply to the Internet. In the case of group dynamics, conversational norms, and readiness to express aggressive behavior, I found this quite interesting. In some other areas, it was what you would expect and consequently less thought provoking.

The beginning of the book is particularly strong, but it fades in the last two chapters into kind of a grab bag of Internet issues that, for my taste, have an only peripheral relevance to a discussion of psychology on the Internet. Overall, the book seems to be a good overview and does a superior job of summarizing the current state of research, albeit without providing much in the way of a conclusion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A Solid Effort! 1 Jun 2001
By Rolf Dobelli - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This is an early attempt to analyze Internet psychology. Patricia M. Wallace uses established psychological research - where it applies - to lay the foundation for understanding Internet psychology. Wherever possible, she cites contemporary Internet psychology research in presenting her opinions and conclusions; the problem is that there isn't any. She finds very few compelling Internet research studies, and she's the one who knows where to look. This book is just a little early out of the dock. The Internet is evolving so quickly that discussion of research conducted on Usenet groups already seems quaint. We [...] recommend this book to people who want a general psychological review of the impact of the Internet. However, the same lightening-fast change that makes these questions so fascinating also makes it very difficult to pin down the answers.
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