Product Description

The Internet is transforming business, education, and maybe even ourselves. In this text, Adam Joinson provides a clear summary of the psychology of the Internet, while at the same time drawing lessons from previous technologies as diverse as the early telephone, telegraph and even radio hams. Mixing anecdote with findings from psychological studies, this book provides an insightful vision of the psychology of the Internet, and the implications for the design of future technologies. It is a useful resource for anyone studying Internet behaviour or interested in their own or others' online behaviour.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #164720 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

About the Author
ADAM JOINSON is Lecturer at the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University. He has researched and written on a wide range of topics related to psychology and the Internet, including computer-mediated communication, web browsing and use of the Internet to conduct psychological research.

Customer Reviews

Well timed, interesting read
I bought this book having already read a few other books in the emerging area of 'cyberpsychology'. This one doesn't disappoint, although the theoretical parts might be a bit heavy going (you can always skip them I suppose).

Joinson begins the book with a brief look at other technologies for communication: including ham radio, the telephone and the telegraph. This set up the rest of the book nicely - one of his main points seems to be that there's much to learn from other, earlier behaviours if we aren't to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the Internet.

Then there's a chapter on theory - which I found interesting and detailed, but that I can imagine maybe won't interest those more interested in a 'pop' psychology read. And then the real meat of the book: A series of chapters that cover most Internet behaviours (take you pick from relationships, addiction, communities, mental health and counselling, web behaviour and others). Joinson takes these topics and looks at both positive and negative research results, and concludes that you can't have one without the other. His final chapters, especially the last one on the design of future technologies, are a must read for anyone sick of mobile phones that are counter-intuitive, or so-called 'content providers' (who come in for a pretty rough time).

If you've always wondered about what psychology has to offer Internet behaviour, this book is good start at getting an answer.