以往研究對於網路使用時間對身心適應的影響結果並不一致,據此,本研究先分析網路使用時間與身心適應的整體性關係,再探討年齡對於網路使用時間與身心適應(身體狀態、情緒面向的主觀幸福感、認知上的生活滿意度)間關係的影響,並且以社會情緒選擇理論(Socioemotional selectivity theory)探討造成此差異的可能機制,認為個體是否能從網路使用中獲得人際需求的滿足會由個體年齡所設定的需求目標決定,此需求滿足的狀況會表徵在個體知覺的孤獨感上進而影響身心適應結果。本研究透過2017年社會變遷資料以全臺灣代表性成年人參與者共1,955人進行分析,結果與原先預測大致符合:首先,網路使用時間與身心適應並非線性關係,而是接近倒U曲線關係;其次,年齡調節網路使用時間與身心適應間的關係,對於青壯年而言兩者為負相關,但在高齡者則無顯著關聯。在機制方面,網路使用增加確實透過孤獨感增加而負向影響身心適應,且此路徑亦受到年齡調節,對青壯年而言,網路使用使孤獨感增加進而使身心適應結果下降,而對高齡者而言網路使用則不會顯著影響孤獨感的增加,身心適應也不會因此下降。此研究結果提供目前網路使用影響的整合性看法,可以作為未來網路使用策略與推廣的參考。
Previous studies indicated inconsistent findings on the relationship between internet usage and well-being. Therefore, the current study focuses on the relationship between internet usage time and well-being, and then investigate the moderated role of age in this association. Based on the socioemotional selectivity theory, implies that whether a person can satisfy his/her relatedness needs through internet lies in goals set under his/her age, and perceived loneliness can represent the degree of relatedness satisfaction and consequently influence one’s well-being. The present study analyses 1955 adult participants collected in 2017 Taiwan Social Change Survey, and the results are mostly consistent with our predictions: (1) The relationship between internet usage time and well-being demonstrated a reversed-U association instead of a linear association. (2) Age moderates the relationship between internet usage time and well-being: a negative correlation for younger adults and none significant correlation for older adults. (3) Loneliness mediates the relationship between internet usage time and well-being, and age moderated this mediation path, indicating a moderated-mediation effect. Our findings provide an integrated view of internet use, implications and limitation are discussed.