The Interaction Between Digital Addiction and Social Values: A Sociological Study Based on Subjective Religiosity and Sociodemographic Variables

Öz

The digitalization process gained a concrete form with the advent of the Internet and led to a revolutionary transformation in the social structure. While digitalization has enriched human life, it has also led to the emergence of issues such as digital addiction. Digital addiction, which erodes human psychosocial functionality, describes the pathological relationship formed with technology. An overview of relevant literature reveals that addiction is mostly discussed in the fields of medicine, psychiatry, and psychology, whereas the sociological dimension of the issue has been relatively less studied. This study approaches digital addiction from a sociological perspective and seeks to contribute to the literature by incorporating social values into the analytical framework. Specifically, it aims to examine the relationship between digital addiction and social values. The study sample consists of 443 people residing in Bursa. The results revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between the two variables (r = -0.320, p < 0.01). Accordingly, higher levels of social values are associated with lower levels of digital addiction; in contrast, as digital addiction increases, commitment to social values tends to decline. It can be argued that the presence of a self-regulatory system grounded in social values is associated with lower levels of digital addiction; conversely, as digital addiction increases, adherence to social values tends to decline. As the findings demonstrate, social values play a crucial role in maintaining a social control system, mitigating addiction and similar deviant behaviors, and supporting the construction of a strong external social control system. Internalized social values, significantly contribute to the development of a self-control system and protect individuals from deviant behaviors, such as addiction. The process of digitalization has led to an extraordinary transformation in communication technology. However, the emergence of problems related to digital technological objects during this process has caused the nonmaterial dimension of culture to lag behind material cultural developments, leading to cultural lags such as digital addiction. Addiction, a multifactorial problem that erodes human individual and social functioning, requires a multidisciplinary approach with biopsychosocial dimensions. Therefore, studying the different dimensions of addiction using quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques in various disciplines, such as sociology and anthropology, medicine, psychiatry, and psychology, will make a significant contribution to the relevant literature. In short, it is crucial that digital platforms should be publicly monitored without eroding individual freedoms, and individuals should be protected from unethical personalized ads, post-truth, and infobesity flows to prevent digital addiction and brain rot. Taken together, the empirical findings underscore the critical importance of facilitating the adaptation of social capital, social and religious values, and cultural structures to ongoing innovation, while ensuring their effective intergenerational transmission. In this context, strengthening and institutionalizing digital literacy within the formal education system emerges as a strategic priority.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Values
• Addiction
• Digitalization

Dijital Bağımlılık İle Toplumsal Değerlerin Etkileşimi: Öznel Dindarlık Ve Sosyodemografik Değişkenlere Dayalı Sosyolojik Bir Araştırma

Öz

Temelleri İkinci Dünya Savaşı sonrasında gelişen bilgisayar teknolojilerine dayanan; ancak epistemik kökleri itibariyle çok daha uzun bir tarihsel süreğenliğe sahip olan dijitalleşmenin, toplumsal yapıda köklü dönüşümlere yol açtığı söylenebilir. İnsan yaşamını zenginleştiren dijitalleşmenin dijital bağımlılık gibi birtakım sorunların meydana gelmesine de kaynaklık ettiği görülmektedir. İnsanın psikososyal fonksiyonalitesini erozyona uğratan dijital bağımlılık teknoloji ile kurulan patolojik ilişki biçimini betimlemek için kullanılmaktadır. İlgili alanyazın incelendiğinde bağımlılığın çoğunlukla tıp, psikiyatri ve psikoloji alanlarında tartışıldığı, meselenin sosyolojik boyutunun görece ampirik olarak az incelendiği anlaşılmaktadır. Dijital bağımlılığı sosyolojik eksende inceleyen bu çalışma, toplumsal değerleri de tartışmaya dahil ederek literatüre mütevazı bir katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Nicel araştırma deseni esas alınarak tasarlanan çalışmanın örneklemi Bursa’da ikamet eden 18 yaş ve üzerindeki bireyler arasından gönüllülük esasına dayalı ve kolayda örnekleme tekniğiyle seçilen 443 kişiden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma sonucunda, toplumsal değerler ile dijital bağımlılık arasında istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı negatif yönlü bir ilişki tespit edilmiştir (r = -,320, p <,01).

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Din Sosyolojisi
• Değerler Sosyolojisi
• Bağımlılık
• Dijitalleşme

Kaynakça

1. Akay, Elif - Kayılı, Gökhan. “Dijital Ebeveynlik Tutumları ile Ergenlerde İnternet Bağımlılığı ve Duyguları Yönetme Becerileri arasındaki İlişki”. Çocuk ve Gelişim Dergisi 6/11 (08 Temmuz 2023), 48-66. https://doi.org/10.36731/cg.1298078
2. Aktaş, Eda vd. “Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Mobil Bağımlılık Düzeyi ve Problem Çözme Becerisinin İncelenmesi”. Fenerbahçe Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 3/2 (23 Ağustos 2023), 188-204. https://doi.org/10.56061/fbujohs.1183929
3. Alexander, Bruce. The Globalization of Addiction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
4. Alter, Adam. Irresistible. New York: Penguin, 2018.
5. An-Pyng Sun. “Historical Background and the Trend Today”. Behavioral Addiction. ed. An-Pyng Sun vd. Las Vegas: Central Recovery Press, 2013.
6. Ayten, Ali - Acat, Betül. “Internet Addiction, Values, and Religiosity as Predictors of Life Satisfaction Among Adolescents”. Addicta 6/3 (01 Ocak 2019). https://doi.org/10.15805/ADDICTA.2019.6.3.0091
7. Benedicto, Rubia Paixão vd. “Analysis of Evolution of Mental and Behavioral Disorders Through International Classification of Diseases Review”. SMAD 9/1 (2013), 25-32.
8. Bolat, Yavuz. “Bir Değer Ölçme Aracı: Çok Boyutlu Sosyal Değerler Ölçeği”. Turkish Journal of Education 2/4 (31 Ekim 2013), 13-27. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.181067

9. Bowen, Jonathan - Giannini, Tula. “Digitalism: The New Realism?” Technology Futures for the Creative Industries: Presenting the Cr-eAM Roadmaps. London, 2014. https://doi.org/10.14236/ewic/eva2014.38
10. Charlton, John P. vd. “Religiosity, adolescent Internet usage motives and addiction”. Information, Communication & Society 16/10 (Aralık 2013), 1619-1638. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2012.735251
11. Conrad, Peter. The Medicalization of Society. Maryland: The John Hopkins University Press, 2007.
12. Courtwright, David T. The Age of Addiction. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2019.
13. Dalal, P. K. - Basu, Debasish. “Twenty years of Internet addiction Quo Vadis?” Indian Journal of Psychiatry 58/1 (2016), 6-11. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.174354
14. Demir, Sevim Atila. Toplumsal Değişme ve Değerler: Bir Değerler Sosyolojisi Çalışması. Ankara: Nobel, 2020.
15. Demirel, Mehmet vd. “Genç Yetişkinlerde Sosyal Medya Bağımlılığı ve Serbest Zaman Tutumu: Algılanan Gelir Düzeyinin Rolü”. Neu Gastro 2 (2023), 74-85.
16. DiClemente, Carlo C. Addiction and Change. New York: Guilford, 2. Basım, 2003.
17. Dinç, Mehmet. İnternet Bağımlılığı. İstanbul: Ferfir Yay., 2010.
18. Dinç, Mehmet. Online Kumar ve Cinsellik Bağımlılığı. İstanbul: Kaknüs Yayınları, 2021.
19. Dinç, Mehmet vd. Teknoloji Bağımlılığı. İstanbul: Yeşilay, 2. Basım, 2023.
20. Dinç, Mehmet. “Teknoloji Bağımlılığı ve Gençlik”. Gençlik Araştırmaları Dergisi 3/Özel Sayı (2015), 31-65.
21. Dossi, Francesca vd. “Association between religiosity or spirituality and internet addiction: A systematic review”. Frontiers in Public Health 10 (01 Aralık 2022), 980334. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.980334
22. Ekşi, H. - Çiftçi, M. “Lise Öğrencilerinin Problemli İnternet Kullanım Durumlarının Dinî İnanç ve Ahlaki Olgunluk Düzeylerine Göre Yordanması”. Addicta 4 (01 Ocak 2017), 181-206. https://doi.org/10.15805/ADDICTA.2017.4.2.0013
23. Fichter, Joseph H. Sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1971.
24. Giddens, Anthony - Sutton, Philip W. Essential Concepts in Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press, 3. Basım, 2021.
25. Goncalves, Lucio Lage vd. “Scale to Assess Leaders’ Perceptions about their Workers’ Digital Addiction”. Addiction & Health 10/4 (2018), 223-230.
26. Goudarzi, Soheil Moazami vd. “The Complementary Role of Family, Religion, and Spiritual Intelligence in Reducing Addiction Susceptibility: A Study on the Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being”. Mental Health and Lifestyle Journal 2/3 (01 Eylül 2024), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.61838/mhlj.2.3.1
27. Griffiths, M. D. “Netties Anonymous: Are some people addicted to the Internet?” Times Higher Education Supplement, 17.
28. Griffiths, Mark. “A ‘components’ model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework”. Journal of Substance Use 10/4 (2005), 191-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/14659890500114359
29. Griffiths, Mark. “Gambling Technologies: Prospects for Problem Gambling”. Journal of Gambling Studies 15/3 (Eylül 1999), 265-283. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023053630588
30. Griffiths, Mark D. “Internet Addiction: An Issue for Clinical Psychology?” Clinical Psychology Forum 97 (1996), 32-36.
31. Griffiths, Mark D. “Technological Addictions. Clinical Psychology Forum”. Clinical Psychology Forum 76 (1995), 14-19.
32. Grim, Brian J. - Grim, Melissa E. “Belief, Behavior, and Belonging: How Faith is Indispensable in Preventing and Recovering from Substance Abuse”. Journal of Religion and Health 58/5 (2019), 1713-1750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00876-w
33. Hall, Wayne - Weier, Megan. “Lee Robins’ Studies of Heroin Use among US Vietnam Veterans”. Society for Study of Addiction 112/1 (Ocak 2017), 176-180. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.13584
34. Houston, Michael - Foubert, John. “The Relationship Between Internet Addiction Test Scores and Academic Achievement”. Growth 23/23 (01 Ocak 2024), 24-42.
35. Jiang, Lanxin vd. “Does Religion Suppress Internet Addiction?” Religions 16/10 (Ekim 2025), 1261. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101261
36. Karaca, Havva Nur - Emre, Oğuz. “The Relationship between Religious Beliefs and Substance Abuse Protection Self Efficacy of High School Students”. Scientific Reports 15/1 (17 Nisan 2025), 13332.
37. Karakose, Turgut vd. “Revealing the Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Digital Addiction Research”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19/22 (12 Kasım 2022), 1-27.
38. Kartal, Habib Celaleddin. “Dijital Çağda Analog İnsan ve Din: 21. Yüzyılda Toplumsal Değişim”. Turkish Studies- Comparative Religious Studies 20/4 (24 Aralık 2025), 2035-2055. https://doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.82476
39. Kesici, Ahmet - Tunç, Nazenin Fidan. “The Development of the Digital Addiction Scale for the University Students: Reliability and Validity Study.” Universal Journal of Educational Research 6/1 (2018), 91-98.
40. Kluckhohn, Clyde. “Values And Value-Orientations in The Theory of Action: An Exploration in Definition And Classification”. Toward a General Theory of Action. ed. Talcott Parsons - Edward A. Shils. 388-433. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1962.
41. Koç, Tuğba - Turan, Aykut Hamit. “Examining the Relationships between Gender-Specific Social Network Sites Addiction Patterns and Student Academic Performance”. Addicta 7/1 (2020), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.5152/addicta.2020.19028
42. Kumcağız, Hatice vd. “Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Akıllı Telefon Bağımlılığı”. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi 9/1 (2020), 13-39.
43. Lembke, Anna. Dopamine Nation. London: Headline Publishing, 2021.
44. Lemon, Rebecca. Addiction and Devotion in Early Modern England. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018.
45. Loeber, Rolf - Stouthamer-Loeber, Magda. “Family Factors as Correlates and Predictors of Juvenile Conduct Problems and Delinquency”. Crime and Justice 7 (Ocak 1986), 29-149.
46. Mari, Emanuela vd. “Gender differences in internet addiction”. Computers in Human Behavior Reports 9 (01 Mart 2023), 100247.
47. Marshall, Gordon (ed.). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Sociology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.
48. Matthias, Brand - Marc N., Potenza. “In memory of Dr. Kimberly S. Young”. Journal of Behavioral Addictions 8/1 (2019), 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.8.2019.14
49. Nadeem, Mohammad vd. “The Association Between Muslim Religiosity and Internet Addiction Among Young Adult College Students”. Journal of Religion and Health 58/6 (01 Aralık 2019), 1953-1960. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0697-9
50. Nasith, Ali vd. “The Power of Faith: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Religiosity’s Influence on Smoking, Alcohol, Drug Use, and Internet/Gaming Addiction”. Research
51. are, 29 Nisan 2025. Erişim 30 Kasım 2025. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6538335/v1
52. Ogburn, William F. Social Change with Respect to Culture and Original Nature. New York: B.W. Huebsch, Inc., 2. Basım, 1923.
53. Ögel, Kültegin (ed.). 101 Soruda Bağımlılık. İstanbul: Yeşilay, 4. Basım, 2022.
54. Özcan, Ufuk. “Sosyolojide Toplumsal Değer Ve Norm Kavramlarına Yeniden Bir Bakış”. Sosyologca 0/23 (2022), 19-31.
55. Özensel, Ertan. “Sosyolojik Bir Olgu Olarak Değer”. Değerler Eğitimi Dergisi 1/3 (01 Temmuz 2003), 217-240.
56. Özyer, Kubilay vd. “Değerlerin Bireylerarası Sapma Davranışları Üzerindeki Etkisi”. ASBİ 18/3 (16 Ekim 2018), 169-192. https://doi.org/10.11616/asbed.vi.470741
57. Pradhana, F. - Sastiono, P. “Gender Differences in Online Shopping: Are Men More Shopaholic Online?” Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research 72 (2019), 123-128.
58. Prensky, Marc. “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”. On the Horizon 9/5 (2001), 1-6.
59. Prensky, Marc. “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: DoThey Really Think Differently?” On the Horizon 9/6 (2001), 1-9.
60. Robins, L. N. vd. “Narcotic Use in Southeast Asia and Afterward. An Interview Study of 898 Vietnam Returnees”. Arch Gen Psychiatry 32/8 (Ağustos 1975), 955-961. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1975.01760260019001
61. Robins, Lee N. vd. “Drug Use by U.S. Army Enlisted Men in Vietnam: A Follow-Up on Their Return Home”. American Journal of Epidemiology 99/4 (01 Nisan 1974), 235-249.
62. Robins, Lee N. The Vietnam Drug User Returns. Final Report. Special Action Office Monograph. Superintendent of Documents, 1974.
63. Robinson, Sean M. - Adinoff, Bryon. “The Classification of Substance Use Disorders”. Behavioral sciences 6/3 (2016), 1-23. https://doi.org/doi:10.3390/bs6030018
64. Rose, Arnold M. “Sociology and the Study of Values”. The British Journal of Sociology 7/1 (1956), 1-17.
65. Salicetia, Francesca. Procedia. “Internet Addiction Disorder”. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 191 (02 Haziran 2015), 1372-1376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.292
66. Seema, Riin - Varik-Maasik, Ene. “Students’ Dgital Addiction and Learning Difficulties”. Frontiers in Education 8 (13 Temmuz 2023), 1-12.
67. Sinha, Namita. “Effect of Marital status on Substance Abuse-A Review”. ResearchInternational Journal of Recent Scientific Research 9/5 (2018), 27012-27015.
68. Şahin, Murat. Değerler Sosyolojisi. Ankara: Net Kitaplık, 2022.
69. Tassi, Ahmad. “Influence of Values and Beliefs on Addictive Behaviors”. Multidisciplinary Approach for Better Understanding of Addictive Behaviour. ed. Pilar Almela - Elena Martinez-Laorden. 1-9. 1-9: IntechOpen, 2025.
70. TDK. Bağımlılık. 2 Cilt. Ankara: Türk Tarih Kurumu Basım Evi, 1998. Basım, 1998.
71. Tuna, Abdullah Sabit vd. Türkiye Kimyasal Bağımlılık Çalışmaları Bibliyografyası: 1923-2014. İstanbul: Yeşilay, 2015.
72. WHO. “ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics”. Erişim 02 Ağustos 2025. https://icd.who.int/browse/2025- 01/mms/en#1602669465
73. Yaman, Ömer Miraç vd. Türkiye Davranışsal Bağımlılık Çalışmaları (1923-2014). İstanbul: Yeşilay, 2015.
74. Yaman, Ömer Miraç. Türki̇ye’de Gençlik ve Bağımlılık: Bibliyometrik ve Tematik Bir Araştırma. İstanbul: Değerler Eğitimi Merkezi Yayınları, 2021.
75. Zhang, Yonghong vd. “A Preliminary Investigation on the Relationship between Virtues and Pathological Internet Use among Chinese Adolescents”. Child and Adolescent 8/1 (04 Mart 2014), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-8-8
76. https://sozluk.gov.tr/. “Bağımlılık”. Erişim 13 Ağustos 2025. https://sozluk.gov.tr/?kelime=bağımlılık