Sociopsychological factors and trends in information addiction development among youth in contemporary times

Abstract

The primary sociopsychological factors of the current spread of information addiction are as follows: expanded access to information, the popularity of social networks, marketing influence, Fear of Missing Out (hereinafter-FOMO) syndrome, which is a fear of lagging behind events or losing opportunities, desire for positive feedback and constant monitoring of news, and feelings of loneliness and depression. In this context, research in the fields of psychology, sociology, medicine, and related sciences that analyze the changes in human behavior regarding information consumption are relevant. This change may be manifested as satisfaction of the social need for moderately consumed information or as a psychological disorder – excessive consumption of information that harms the mental health of a person. Children, adolescents, and youth are the social groups that are the most vulnerable to information addiction in modern societies. The relevance of studying sociopsychological factors of information addiction is determined by the need to constantly monitor, prevent, forecast, and solve the problems of information addiction facing young generations to improve their quality of life, mental health, and full social integration into society.