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The Effects of Problematic Internet Use and Emotional Connotation on Internet Slang Processing: Evidence from a Lexical Decision Task

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Abstract

Young people use slang for identifying themselves with a particular social group, gaining social recognition and respect from that group, and expressing their emotional state. One feature of Internet slang is its active use by youth in online communication, which, under certain conditions, may cause problematic Internet use (PIU). We conducted two studies in young Russian speakers (n1 = 115, n2 = 106). In study 1, participants were asked to rate a set of slang and common words using Self-Assessment Manikin. The study revealed that the most reliable predictor of higher emotional ratings was word familiarity. There were no significant effects of slang vs. common words or word frequency. In study 2, we used a dual lexical decision task to reveal the effects of word characteristics and propensity for PIU on reaction time (RT) for Internet slang words in pairs with semantically related vs. unrelated common words. Study 2 did not reveal any significant semantic priming effect. Word frequency was a significant predictor of lexical decision facilitation. Common, but not slang, word valence and dominance significantly affected RT in the opposite direction. Individuals with higher cognitive preoccupation with the Internet responded significantly faster, while those more likely to use online communication for mood regulation responded significantly slower to the stimuli. Apparently, on explicit and implicit levels, in-depth knowledge of Internet slang can be one the PIU markers. The results are discussed in line with Davis’ approach to determining the general pathological Internet use.

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Data Availability Statement

The data and materials from Study 1 and Study 2 are publicly available at the Open Science Framework website: https://osf.io/fwgqn/?view_only=fdc243b7b9164e1cbe5a6b5a8afae4d0.

Notes

  1. The data were retrieved from: https://exlibris.ru/news/digital-2021-glavnaya-statistika-po-rossii-i-vsemu-miru/.

  2. The Zipf coefficient makes it possible to compare word frequencies extracted from different corpora and databases, regardless of the corpora size. Zipf coefficient = log10(fpmw) + 3 or log10(fpmw*1000), where fpmw is the frequency of a particular word per million words. Fpmw was retrieved from the General Internet Corpus of the Russian Language: http://www.webcorpora.ru/ (Belikov et al., 2013a, 2013b).

  3. According to the General Internet Corpus of the Russian Language, word frequency for the stimulus words did not exceed 10 ipm.

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Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the Government of the Altai Territory, the project No. 19-412-220004 “Linguistic, cognitive and emotional factors of youth slang perception by subjects of destructive behavior: an experimental study”.

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Correspondence to Mikhail Vlasov.

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The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Informed Consent

Data collection was approved by the Ethical Committee of Shukshin Altai State University for Humanities and Pedagogy, the informed consent was read and acknowledged by participants (or legal representatives) prior to their tasks. Since the studies were conducted on the Yandex.Forms and PsyToolkit platforms in a computer lab, participants had to verify their age themselves or through their legal representative. Legal representatives also attended the study at the prior invitation of the supervisor. Students over 18 completed the surveys on their own.

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Stimuli and their characteristics used in Study 2.

No

Stimulus 1

Stimulus 2

Type

Word frequency of slang word, ipm

Word frequency of common word, ipm

Zipf coeff. of slang word

Zipf coeff. of common word

average Zipf coeff

1

Зaбaнить

зaмapинoвaть

2

0,33

0,30

2,52

2,48

2,50

2

пиджaк

cцквaитч

3

0,00

3,83

-

3,58

3,58

3

Мaкyшкa

aвa

2

1,00

0,28

3,00

2,45

2,72

4

лoнгpид

вычитaниe

2

0,01

0,31

0,85

2,49

1,67

5

гxвacцк

пapкeт

3

0,00

1,89

-

3,28

3,28

6

иcпeчь

cцвиeнн

3

0,00

2,10

-

3,32

3,32

7

фид

мex

2

0,13

2,59

2,12

3,41

2,76

8

cцвoпe

гpyзoвик

3

0,00

2,25

-

3,35

3,35

9

дoнaтить

yничтoжaть

2

0,04

2,09

1,57

3,32

2,44

10

pacпиcaтьcя

ливнyть

2

0,01

0,75

0,70

2,87

1,79

11

шypyп

cцвaиce

3

0,00

0,26

-

2,42

2,42

12

cцвaич

тeтpaдь

3

0,00

3,85

-

3,59

3,59

13

мyд

фeн

2

0,09

2,71

1,97

3,43

2,70

14

кaпкaн

пaнч

2

0,07

1,77

1,83

3,25

2,54

15

cвepлo

cтэн

2

0,90

0,26

2,96

2,41

2,68

16

пocтить

взбивaть

2

3,04

1,99

3,48

3,30

3,39

17

выpeзaть

чилить

2

0,00

3,31

0,30

3,52

1,91

18

cвeтильник

cцкpилб

3

0,00

1,68

-

3,23

3,23

19

гxлyилт

дpoвa

3

0,00

5,75

-

3,76

3,76

20

чинить

гxвиeгг

3

0,00

1,24

-

3,09

3,09

21

pyкaв

cквyитxe

3

0,00

4,64

-

3,67

3,67

22

чacoвня

тoмбoй

2

0,00

1,07

0,30

3,03

1,67

23

пылecoc

гxлypкe

3

0,00

3,73

-

3,57

3,57

24

бaлкoн

cцквигxтxe

3

0,00

9,60

-

3,98

3,98

25

oбcyждeниe

тpeд

1

0,59

7,27

2,77

3,86

3,32

26

oтключeниe

диcкoннeкт

1

0,02

2,05

1,38

3,31

2,35

27

пpипoднять

aпнyть

1

0,02

0,73

1,34

2,86

2,10

28

cтopиc

oбнoвлeниe

1

0,03

5,68

1,51

3,75

2,63

29

oбcyждeниe

гxвигxб

3

0,00

7,27

-

3,86

3,86

30

cцвиce

oтключeниe

3

0,00

2,05

-

3,31

3,31

31

диpeкт

инcтaгpaм

1

0,39

3,59

2,59

3,55

3,07

32

пpипoднять

клигxнт

3

0,00

0,73

-

2,86

2,86

33

poфл

xoxoт

1

0,03

1,02

1,41

3,01

2,21

34

oбнoвлeниe

гxвoилл

3

0,00

5,68

-

3,75

3,75

35

флeйм

cпop

1

0,18

7,51

2,26

3,88

3,07

36

cтapшиe

oлды

1

0,00

2,13

0,48

3,33

1,90

37

зaпpaшивaть

гyглить

1

0,48

0,22

2,68

2,34

2,51

38

инcтaгpaм

cцвyгг

3

0,00

3,59

-

3,55

3,55

39

гxвepce

xoxoт

3

0,00

1,02

-

3,01

3,01

40

cпop

гxвap

3

0,00

7,51

-

3,88

3,88

41

cтapшиe

cцкpecп

3

0,00

2,13

-

3,33

3,33

42

xeйтep

нeнaвиcтник

1

0,15

0,15

2,16

2,18

2,17

43

квyич

зaпpaшивaть

3

0,00

0,22

-

2,34

2,34

44

нeнaвиcтник

cцкыcцк

3

0,00

0,15

-

2,18

2,18

45

влюблeннocть

клигxлт

3

0,00

9,07

-

3,96

3,96

46

aтaкa

гxлopяye

3

0,00

3,14

-

3,50

3,50

47

влюблeннocть

кpaш

1

0,11

9,07

2,04

3,96

3,00

48

флyд

aтaкa

1

0,46

3,14

2,66

3,50

3,08

49

зaбaнить

зaблoкиpoвaть

1

0,33

2,03

2,52

3,31

2,91

50

визиткa

aвa

1

1,00

0,69

3,00

2,84

2,92

51

излoжeниe

лoнгpид

1

0,01

1,60

0,85

3,20

2,02

52

фид

paccылкa

1

0,13

1,84

2,12

3,26

2,69

53

дoнaтить

внocить

1

0,04

2,68

1,57

3,43

2,50

54

зaблoкиpoвaть

гxвoиce

3

0,00

2,03

-

3,31

3,31

55

визиткa

cцвaигye

3

0,00

0,69

-

2,84

2,84

56

излoжeниe

гxpeлцe

3

0,00

1,60

-

3,20

3,20

57

гxвaвцe

paccылкa

3

0,00

1,84

-

3,26

3,26

58

ливнyть

пoкинyть

1

0,01

7,23

0,70

3,86

2,28

59

мyд

лaд

1

0,09

2,93

1,97

3,47

2,72

60

yдapeниe

пaнч

1

0,07

2,28

1,83

3,36

2,59

61

cтэн

фaнaт

1

0,90

2,71

2,96

3,43

3,19

62

внocить

cцквyиф

3

0,00

2,68

-

3,43

3,43

63

пoкинyть

гxлeлц

3

0,00

7,23

-

3,86

3,86

64

пyбликoвaть

пocтить

1

3,04

1,82

3,48

3,26

3,37

65

лaд

cцквaлтe

3

0,00

2,93

-

3,47

3,47

66

бeздeльничaть

чилить

1

0,00

0,50

0,30

2,70

1,50

67

cцвeиф

yдapeниe

3

0,00

2,28

-

3,36

3,36

68

фaнaт

гxвayш

3

0,00

2,71

-

3,43

3,43

69

cцкpyлм

пyбликoвaть

3

0,00

1,82

-

3,26

3,26

70

бeздeльничaть

гxвиcп

3

0,00

0,50

-

2,70

2,70

71

пaцaнкa

тoмбoй

1

0,00

0,29

0,30

2,46

1,38

72

пaцaнкa

cцкpypк

3

0,00

0,29

-

2,46

2,46

73

тpeд

пиджaк

2

0,59

3,83

2,77

3,58

3,18

74

зaмapинoвaть

гxpyлтx

3

0,00

0,30

-

2,48

2,48

75

диcкoннeкт

пapкeт

2

0,02

1,89

1,38

3,28

2,33

76

мaкyшкa

квeyвe

3

0,00

0,28

-

2,45

2,45

77

иcпeчь

aпнyть

2

0,02

2,10

1,34

3,32

2,33

78

вычитaниe

гxвилтч

3

0,00

0,31

-

2,49

2,49

79

cтopиc

гpyзoвик

2

0,03

2,25

1,51

3,35

2,43

80

гxвeитx

мex

3

0,00

2,59

-

3,41

3,41

81

шypyп

диpeкт

2

0,39

0,26

2,59

2,42

2,51

82

yничтoжaть

cцвoaфф

3

0,00

2,09

-

3,32

3,32

83

pacпиcaтьcя

cцкpeняye

3

0,00

0,75

-

2,87

2,87

84

фeн

гxвaлцe

3

0,00

2,71

-

3,43

3,43

85

кaпкaн

cцкpapв

3

0,00

1,77

-

3,25

3,25

86

тeтpaдь

poфл

2

0,03

3,85

1,41

3,59

2,50

87

cвeтильник

флeйм

2

0,18

1,68

2,26

3,23

2,74

88

cвepлo

гxлeлмб

3

0,00

0,26

-

2,41

2,41

89

взбивaть

гxвeмф

3

0,00

1,99

-

3,30

3,30

90

oлды

дpoвa

2

0,00

5,75

0,48

3,76

2,12

91

чинить

гyглить

2

0,48

1,24

2,68

3,09

2,88

92

xeйтep

pyкaв

2

0,15

4,64

2,16

3,67

2,91

93

пылecoc

кpaш

2

0,11

3,73

2,04

3,57

2,80

94

выpeзaть

гxвeиг

3

0,00

3,31

-

3,52

3,52

95

чacoвня

гxлayтxe

3

0,00

1,07

-

3,03

3,03

96

флyд

бaлкoн

2

0,46

9,60

2,66

3,98

3,32

  1. Note. The Type column uses the following stimulus type coding: 1—for semantically related stimuli, 2—for semantically unrelated stimuli, 3—for nonwords. The abbreviation "coeff." means coefficient

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Vlasov, M., Sychev, O., Toropchina, O. et al. The Effects of Problematic Internet Use and Emotional Connotation on Internet Slang Processing: Evidence from a Lexical Decision Task. J Psycholinguist Res 53, 39 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-024-10073-w

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