Psychological Characteristics of Internet Users with Different Strategies of Online Behavior: Analysis of Time Perspective and Coping Strategies
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction. The modern information society is characterized by a deep integration of the Internet space into all spheres of human life. The Internet has become a full-fledged environment for living, socializing, professional and educational activities, and personal self-realization. This naturally actualizes for psychological science the task of understanding how various forms of interaction with the network affect the individual, what psychological features characterize Internet active users, and how value-semantic, cognitive, and affective spheres are transformed under the influence of the digital environment. Goal. ИStudying the psychological characteristics of Internet users with different information behavior strategies. Materials and methods. The study involved 387 respondents aged 18-25 years. The followingmethods were used: "Information Behavior Strategies "(Abakumova et al., 2021)," Time Perspective Questionnaire "by F. Zimbardo," Coping with Stress Questionnaire "(COPE)," Internet Addiction Scale " by Chen. Statistical processing included cluster analysis (k-means), nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests, and pairwise Dunn comparisons. Results. Cluster analysis allowed us to identify three groups of users: 1) passive-constructive (the least engaged users); 2) active-constructive (focused on building an online identity and social approval); 3) active-destructive (with a predominance of destructive motives combined with individual pragmatic motives). It was found that respondents of all groups demonstrate a high orientation to the future and orientation to the hedonistic present (probably due to age). In the group with an active-constructive strategy, the desire to find emotional support in the Internet environment as an additional resource of coping was revealed. Respondents with a destructive strategy are characterized by a high need for pleasure and a low ability to reflect on past experiences, which causes them to turn to the Internet to respond to negative emotions and avoid real problems. Active strategies (both constructive and destructive) are associated with a higher risk of developing Internet addiction, while passive-constructive strategies are characterized by greater psychological stability. The most vulnerable group is respondents with an active-destructive strategy, demonstrating high involvement in the Internet environment, an obsessive desire to be constantly online, difficulties in managing time, and intrapersonal problems. Discussion. The key factor determining the psychological safety of a user in the Internet environment is not so much the intensity of network use, but the qualitative originality of the motivational basis and the psychological content of the activity performed. The results obtained can be used to develop differentiated programs for preventing Internet addiction and improving the information and psychological security of users.
Institution: Don State Technical University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: Russian Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W7166737101