• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.590-613
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• 2020

As a part of advanced technology society, South Korean youth have been accessing the Internet at a very high pace. The Internet overuse could yield addiction where may be a serious psychological disorder of this century. The literature remarks that gender could make a significant difference on internet addiction. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of gender variable on internet addiction for a sample of South Korean university students (n = 815; 312 females and 503 males). The instrument had two sections; the demographics and twenty Internet Addiction survey items based on a five level scale; "Rarely, Occasionally, Frequently, Often and Always". The results showed that general tendency among the participants appeared between "Occasionally" and "Frequently" for internet addiction. In order to test five derived study hypotheses, the researchers conducted comparative statistical tests. The t-tests revealed that gender made statistically significant differences on nineteen items where males were higher than females showing that males significantly spend more time on the Internet than females. Additionally, t-tests results showed that seventeen of the survey items showed statistically significant differences with respect to types of technology dominant environment. The researchers created two dummy variables to combine gender and technology dominant environment variables and gender and school year variables, to have a better understanding the gender effect with one-way ANOVA. The gender difference still exists following its merge to technology dominant environment showing that the gender surpasses IT related environment. When school year combines to gender, males show higher scores for certain items, especially for freshman year.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.117-129
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• 2015

As the Internet becomes ubiquitous, a large volume of information is posted on the Internet with exponential growth every day. Accordingly, it is not unusual that investors in stock markets gather and compile firm-specific or market-wide information through online searches. Importantly, it becomes easier for investors to acquire value-relevant information for their investment decision with the help of powerful search tools on the Internet. Our study examines whether or not the Internet helps investors assess a firm's value better by using firm-level data over long periods spanning from January 2004 to December 2013. To this end, we construct weekly-based search volume for information technology (IT) services firms on the Internet. We limit our focus to IT firms since they are often equipped with intangible assets and relatively less recognized to the public which makes them hard-to measure. To obtain the information on those firms, investors are more likely to consult the Internet and use the information to appreciate the firms more accurately and eventually improve their investment decisions. Prior studies have shown that changes in search volumes can reflect the various aspects of the complex human behaviors and forecast near-term values of economic indicators, including automobile sales, unemployment claims, and etc. Moreover, search volume of firm names or stock ticker symbols has been used as a direct proxy of individual investors' attention in financial markets since, different from indirect measures such as turnover and extreme returns, they can reveal and quantify the interest of investors in an objective way. Following this line of research, this study aims to gauge whether the information retrieved from the Internet is value relevant in assessing a firm. We also use search volume for analysis but, distinguished from prior studies, explore its impact on return comovements with market returns. Given that a firm's returns tend to comove with market returns excessively when investors are less informed about the firm, we empirically test the value of information by examining the association between Internet searches and the extent to which a firm's returns comove. Our results show that Internet searches are negatively associated with return comovements as expected. When sample is split by the size of firms, the impact of Internet searches on return comovements is shown to be greater for large firms than small ones. Interestingly, we find a greater impact of Internet searches on return comovements for years from 2009 to 2013 than earlier years possibly due to more aggressive and informative exploit of Internet searches in obtaining financial information. We also complement our analyses by examining the association between return volatility and Internet search volumes. If Internet searches capture investors' attention associated with a change in firm-specific fundamentals such as new product releases, stock splits and so on, a firm's return volatility is likely to increase while search results can provide value-relevant information to investors. Our results suggest that in general, an increase in the volume of Internet searches is not positively associated with return volatility. However, we find a positive association between Internet searches and return volatility when the sample is limited to larger firms. A stronger result from larger firms implies that investors still pay less attention to the information obtained from Internet searches for small firms while the information is value relevant in assessing stock values. However, we do find any systematic differences in the magnitude of Internet searches impact on return volatility by time periods. Taken together, our results shed new light on the value of information searched from the Internet in assessing stock values. Given the informational role of the Internet in stock markets, we believe the results would guide investors to exploit Internet search tools to be better informed, as a result improving their investment decisions.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.595-607
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• 2002

Sexuality education in the period of adolescents need much care and attention. The programs of sexual education through the Internet are excellent resources for adolescents to gain the information related to their sexual health. And systematic program which is necessary for adolescents to manage their sexual health has been rarely found in Korea. The purpose of this study was to offer valuable database for program design and evaluation on sexual education of middle school students through the Internet. Needs assessment for the information of sexual education on the internet among middle school students were carried out. A questionnaire survey was conducted with respondents of 602 middle school students from January to March in 2002. In the sexual counseling center for middle school students, counseling cases through internet were analyzed and evaluated from October, 2001 to September, 2002, We have selected 16 Sexual educational websites in Seoul confirmed Korean Educational Human Resource. Contents which was illustrated in 16 sexual educational websites were analyzed and evaluated by 12 sexual counselors. Design and evaluation of the program on the internet for sexuality education of adolescences was conducted on the basis of this study results by middle school expert teachers, sexual counselors, sexuality education professionals. Data was statistically analyzed using dBSTAT 4.0 for Windows. The extent and phase of the teaching-learning program of the sexuality education on the internet was seen as follows : 1. We evaluated to need for sexuality education on the internet by middle school student. 2. We assessed the properness of sexuality education curriculum on the internet frequently used by middle school students. 3. We designed teaching strategy and learning program for sexuality education of the middle school students. 4. We developed the assessment method for the teaching-learning program of the sexuality education in adolescences on the internet. Middle school students responded that sexual education through Internet is needed in the order of programs related to acquaintances with opposite sex, Sexual culture and ethics, Sexual health, Reproductive health structure and development, Marriage and family, Psychology of Sexuality, Pregnancy and birth. In the internet counseling, cases on the 'reproductive health structure and development' was ranked as the top. In short we have found the most needs as follows; Meaning of the marriage life and having family, Sexes and Love, Human relation, Sexual Culture.We recommend as follows on the basis of this study results: 1. It is necessary for sexuality education program on the internet to specify according to age and target the specific individual needs. 2. Sexual educators have to employ various educational materials such as flash, cartoon, multimedia in order to provide effective sexuality education. 3. Internet based sex education need to be evaluated regularly through reassessment of the effectiveness of sexuality education for content quality and richness.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.366-376
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• 2013

This study aimed to compare Psycho-social Well-being depending on level of internet addiction and investigate the factors inducing internet addiction among 749 college students. The Internet Addiction Diagnosis Criterion Inventory was used to classify participants into two groups, Internet overuse and Internet normal use. The psychosocial well-being of each group was measured by hopelessness, idea of suicide, suicide attempt, stress, social isolation, and mental health. Data were analyzed using the t-test and $x^2$-test to compare general characteristics, level of internet addiction and psycho-social well-being between two groups(the overuse and normal use group). Moreover, logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors inducing internet addiction. The results placed 82 people (10.9%) in the internet overuse group and 667 people(89.1%) in the internet normal use group. The internet overuse group showed higher level of hopelessness, idea of suicide, suicide attempt, stress, social isolation, and mental health scores than the internet normal use group. Therefore, people in the internet overuse group were more likely to have worse Psycho-social well-being. The results of this study recommend that the Internet overuse should be screened early because it can be useful in developing addiction prevention programs and then finally improving the psycho-social well-being.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2011

Objectives : This study compared covert narcissistic propensity in adolescents with internet addiction tendency to normal adolescents. Further, we investigated the correlation between such propensities and anonymity in cyberspace, presence feeling and interactivity in internet gaming, and achievement motivation in adolescents with internet addiction tendencies. Methods : Male middle school students with internet addiction tendencies (Addiction Tendency Group, N=27) and normal students (Control Group, N=29) were recruited. The scale of internet use, Covert Narcissism Scale, scale of achievement motivation, scale of anonymity in cyberspace, scale of presence feeling in internet games, and the scale of interactivity in internet games were administered. A comparison of the average scores and correlation analyses were performed. Results : 1) Compared with Control Group, the Addiction Tendency Group showed significantly higher scores on all subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale, and both the scale of presence feeling and that of interactivity in internet games. Further, the score on the scale of achievement motivation for the Addiction Tendency Group was significantly lower than that of the Control Group. 2) In the Addiction Tendency Group, the scores on several subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale were significantly positively correlated with the scores on the scale of presence feeling in internet games, anonymity in cyberspace, and interactivity in internet games. However, in the Control Group, the scores of several subscales on the Covert Narcissism Scale were significantly negatively correlated with the score on the scale of achievement motivation, and was significantly positively correlated with the score on the scale of interactivity in internet games. There were no other significant correlations between the scores on the subscales of the Covert Narcissism Scale and the scores of either presence feeling in internet games or anonymity in cyberspace. Conclusion : These results suggested that adolescents with a tendency to be addicted to the internet exhibited higher covert narcissistic propensities than normal adolescents and that the covert narcissistic tendencies were related with presence feeling in cyber games as well as with anonymity in cyberspace.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.71-87
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• 2011

In this study, we investigate the individual-, parents-, and family-related variables affecting the internet overuse of adolescents by the gender, school grades and school systems, which is based on surveys of 480 students in the middle and high school, employing multiple regression analysis. Major findings are as follows. 1. In the case of male students, internet use was higher when the students are playing online games more often, when the students are under stress, or when they have lower self control. In the case of female students, internet use was higher when the students are playing online games more often or when the students are visiting pornographic sites more often. 2. In the case of middle school students, internet use was higher when the students play online games more often, when they use file downloads more often, when they have lower self control, or when they have parents who are setting lesser rules on the students' internet use. In the case of high school students, internet use was higher when they play online games more often, when they engage in internet club activities more actively, when they have lower self control, when they use e-mails less frequently, when they have fathers with better internet ability, or when they are under parents' strict control. 3. In the case of academic high school students, internet use was higher when they play online games more often, when they engage in internet club activities more actively, when they visit pornographic sites more often, when they have lower self control, when they have mothers with poor internet ability, when they use e-mails less frequently, or when they have fewer number of close friends. In the cases of vocational high school students, internet use was higher when they play online games more often, when they are under more stress, when they get better grades, when they have fathers with better internet ability, when they are under parents' strict control, or when they have lower self control.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.195-222
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• 2005

This study was a comparative analysis by youth's internet addiction types. Distribution of internet addiction types, relative influence of risk and protective factors in each addiction type, and common and different risk and protective factors among the internet addiction types were investigated. And, the level of youth's mental health and the effect of internet to youth's mental health were identified. A total of 1,830 youth were surveyed, and the findings were as below: Firstly, 62.3% of the surveyed youth were addicted to internet. In detail, 15.9% had internet game addiction and 10.9% had internet sex addiction. Secondly, in all types of internet addiction, the risk factors gave severer influence than the protective factors did, and the protective factors gave compensation effect to each type of addiction. Thirdly, among the internet addiction types, the common risk factors were depression, aggression, parents' control, and friends' influence, while the protective factor was self control. Among the internet addiction types, a different risk factor was PC access, and the different protective factors included self-efficacy, teacher's support, friend's support, and parents' relationship. Fourthly, in all the three addiction pattern, the addicted adolescents had experienced more psychological symptoms than general internet users had. Finally, in the aspects of psychiatric symptoms, sex addiction gave the worst negative effect, and then game addiction, and internet addiction came in order. And the adolescents who had the higher degree of addiction were more likely to experience psychiatric symptoms.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.149-166
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• 2002

In this study, 1 have analyzed the state of the use of information technology by the at-risk children who are residing in Husan metropolitan area. The ultimate goal of this study is to help ensure the healthy development of the children and improve the quality of their lives in this information-oriented society. For this research, 1 surveyed 183 children living in an institution or a low-income family in Busan metropolitan area. The survey questionnaire was designed to obtain information on the respondents, socio-demographic characteristics, computer-related conditions of the immediate and social environments, patterns of computer and Internet use, their experience and degree of so called, Net-generation syndrome, Internet addiction disorder, changes in social and familial life caused by Internet use, and exposure to pornographic materials. The results show that 95.9 % of at-risk children in Husan own a computer, 60.9 % of those computers being Pentium Ⅲ. A majority of the children (74.9 %) are connected to Internet at a high-speed, using such devices as LAN, ADSL or cables. About seventy-six percent of the children have used a PC and Internet less than two years. In other words, a majority of them have not used those for a long period of time. The main results of the research are summarized in the following: There is a significant difference among at-risk children in terms of experiences in computer and Internet use according to their grade levels. There is a gender difference in the amount of time spent on computer and Internet. Boys spend more time every week on computer and Internet than girls do. There is a significant difference in the pattern of computer and Internet use, according to the type of their risk, and grade level. The so-called 'Net Generation Syndrome' is not serious in this group. A majority of the at-risk children think that Internet is more interesting than TV. They hardly shop on Internet, and they don think the advertisements on Internet are a serious problem. Also, unlike many people assumptions, their desire to communicate through on-line chatting was very low. They do not tend to buy computer game programs, and Internet Addiction Disorder was not pronounced among them. The at-risk children rarely had an exposure to pornographic materials in the cyber space. However, the exposure was more frequent for institutionalized children than children in low-income families. These results point to a need for a policy to improve the welfare of at-risk children and guarantee their right to information.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.19-39
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of link with internet media and a internet addiction disposition of adolescents. The subjects were 500 students attending to middle and high schools consisted of male and female. The instruments were "the questionnaire on the present conditions of internet use" consisted of 14 items(Cronbach's α=.71) and "the internet addiction rating scale" consisted of 20 items(Cronbach's α=.73). These questionnaire were revised by this researcher. For data analysis, chisqure and ANOVA were used. The main results were as follows. First, a boy students and the vocational high school and the middle school each have more negative response than a girl students and the humanistic high schools in the present conditions of internet use and the judgement on a harmful object of internet space. Second, a boy students have higher than a girl students in an internet addiction disposition. Third, an internet addiction related with the times link with internet, the type of internet game, and the content of internet space(a lustful and violent objects). The various methods for the prevent with the internet addiction of adolescents discussed with based on the previous studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.586-597
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to identify the moderating effect of Internet lifestyle among relational benefits effect, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty on the Internet shopping mall. For the study, utilizing the convenient sampling method, the sample of study was composed of female and male adults aged between 20 and 30 living in Seoul metropolitan area who had experienced purchase of fashion products on the web. Of 350 distributed, 311 useful questionnaires were returned. The survey research design was employed with structured questionnaire. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, cluster analysis and multiple-regression analysis were used. The results of this study are as follows: The results of Internet lifestyle were regarding 4 cluster of Internet lifestyle. 1) information seeking type, 2) shopping maniac type, 3) social gathering type and 4) passive follower type were obtained. The interaction of psychological benefits and the type of Internet lifestyle affected customer satisfaction positively. The interaction of customer satisfaction and Internet lifestyle reinforced customer loyalty. Especially interaction of shopping maniac type among Internet lifestyle types and customer satisfaction affected customer loyalty strongly.