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The Internet Trap: Five Costs of Living Online
Whether we are checking emails, following friends on Facebook and Twitter, catching up on gossip from TMZ, planning holidays on TripAdvisor, arranging dates on Match.com, watching videos on Youtube, or simply browsing for deals on Amazon, the internet pervades our professional and personal environments. The internet has revolutionized our lives, but at what cost? In The Internet Trap, Ashesh Mukherjee uses the latest research in consumer psychology to highlight five hidden costs of living too many temptations, too much information, too much customization, too many comparisons, and too little privacy. The book uses everyday examples to explain these costs including how surfing the internet anonymously can encourage bad behavior, using social media can make us envious and unhappy, and doing online research can devalue the product finally chosen. The book also provides actionable solutions to minimize these costs. For example, the book reveals how deciding not to choose is as important as deciding what to choose, setting up structural barriers to temptation can reduce overspending on e-commerce websites, and comparisons with others on social media websites needs to be cold rather than hot. The Internet Trap provides a new perspective on the dark side of the internet, and gives readers the tools to become smarter users of the internet.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published February 15, 2018
7 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Ashesh Mukherjee
1 book3 followersDr. Ashesh Mukherjee joined McGill University after completing his PhD in marketing at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Mukherjee teaches consumer behavior, marketing management, and marketing research at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels at McGill. He has also taught at universities in Brazil, Spain, Denmark, and India. Dr. Mukherjee has been nominated for the Principal & Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence, a university-wide teaching award at McGill University and has received the Best PhD Advisor Award from the Desautels Doctoral Student Society.
Dr. Mukherjee's research focuses on marketing communications, word-of-mouth, online behavior, and pro-social behavior. In his research on marketing communications, Dr. Mukherjee has studied topics such as the use of humor in advertising, the use of scarcity in advertisng, and the advertising of high technology products. In his research on word-of-mouth, Dr. Mukherjee has studied the impact of product advisors – such as movie critics and wine critics – on consumer decision making. In his research on online behavior, Dr. Mukherjee has studied consumer behavior in peer-to-peer markets such as Airbnb and Uber. In his research on pro-social behavior, Dr. Mukherjee examines methods to increase charitable donations and environmental conscious behaviors among consumers.
His research has been published in leading marketing journals, such as the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, and Marketing Letters, and he has presented his work at academic conferences such as the Association for Consumer Research and Society for Consumer Psychology. Dr. Mukherjee's research has been funded by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and has been reported in media such as the Economist and Globe & Mail.
Dr. Mukherjee's research focuses on marketing communications, word-of-mouth, online behavior, and pro-social behavior. In his research on marketing communications, Dr. Mukherjee has studied topics such as the use of humor in advertising, the use of scarcity in advertisng, and the advertising of high technology products. In his research on word-of-mouth, Dr. Mukherjee has studied the impact of product advisors – such as movie critics and wine critics – on consumer decision making. In his research on online behavior, Dr. Mukherjee has studied consumer behavior in peer-to-peer markets such as Airbnb and Uber. In his research on pro-social behavior, Dr. Mukherjee examines methods to increase charitable donations and environmental conscious behaviors among consumers.
His research has been published in leading marketing journals, such as the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, and Marketing Letters, and he has presented his work at academic conferences such as the Association for Consumer Research and Society for Consumer Psychology. Dr. Mukherjee's research has been funded by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and has been reported in media such as the Economist and Globe & Mail.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 4, 2019
We have just entered in the year 2019 & looking at technological evolution, it is not possible to live without the internet. Even our book blogging is dependent on the same technology. So when we saw the cover & the title of the book "The Internet Trap: Five Costs of Living Online" by Ashesh Mukherjee, we were bound to read it. We couldn't say no to the book. Let us take you through what we found after reading the book.
As the title suggests, "the internet trap" is divided into five sections. Each section covers one cost. These costs are
1) Too many temptations
2) Too much information
3) Too much customization
4) Too many comparisons
5) Too little privacy
If you look at headings, few may look problematic & few may look helpful. Same was my opinion when I checked the index. But once I read the book, I came to know the pros & cons of each cost in detail with examples & proper research support.
Let's start with good points first. The author has not done just complaining about these costs. He has explained following aspects in depth
1) the importance of each cost
2) how it could be helpful
3) how it is currently affecting us
4) and at the end of each chapter, he has also shared how to avoid becoming a victim of these costs & how to take maximum benefits of them.
The book is written in semi nonfiction & semi academical tone Though research support to understand the importance of underlying facts it also hampers the overall reading experience.
Having said that, it is a deep studied informative book.
Detailed Review Link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
As the title suggests, "the internet trap" is divided into five sections. Each section covers one cost. These costs are
1) Too many temptations
2) Too much information
3) Too much customization
4) Too many comparisons
5) Too little privacy
If you look at headings, few may look problematic & few may look helpful. Same was my opinion when I checked the index. But once I read the book, I came to know the pros & cons of each cost in detail with examples & proper research support.
Let's start with good points first. The author has not done just complaining about these costs. He has explained following aspects in depth
1) the importance of each cost
2) how it could be helpful
3) how it is currently affecting us
4) and at the end of each chapter, he has also shared how to avoid becoming a victim of these costs & how to take maximum benefits of them.
The book is written in semi nonfiction & semi academical tone Though research support to understand the importance of underlying facts it also hampers the overall reading experience.
Having said that, it is a deep studied informative book.
Detailed Review Link - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
Read
June 18, 2024This is a brief but incredible book that summarizes a glut of concepts of psychological effects of the Internet on human behavior, divided on 5 categories as follows,
1) 'too many temptations': " the Internet increases our desires and reduces self control". It leads our ideal states, or dreamed-for or desired states, on an upward spiral of discontent in heightened comparison to our daily reality.
Audiovisual ads bombard the brain with potential pleasure sources. Furthermore, the "hedonic treadmill" is in effect, for ever convincing us that newer ideal states are possible every time we climb a new pleasure plateau, such as a latest purchase. Online shopping utilizes various techniques, such as "foot in the door" investment, overestimation bias of how much we will actually use the product, and '1 click purchases' that reduce self-control.
Thus, to overcome these tempting sales techniques, the book suggests we can use tactics such as 'goal clarity ', software blocks and preplanned budget restraints when going online shopping. We can also derive pleasure from visualizing the positive outcomes of postponed gratification, such as improved savings. We can also permit ourselves positive rewards that pay off more in the long run, such as new experiences and memories over purchases. Ultimately, a belief in one's capability of self-control and capacity to create new habits becomes a self-fulfilling effect.
2) "too much information"- the author notes that choice is good, as self-expression of our preferences among a glut of variety allows us to reflect our values. However, he also notes that this leads to choice paralysis. Studies show that retail spaces with too much choice gain less purchases. Too much choice possibilities creates space for anxiety and imaginings of regret. Thus, consumers often use "choice shortcuts" such as trustworthy brands, and trusted opinion leaders such as friends or celebrity endorsements or professional critics or average reviews. Consumers also often limit their choices to top-ranked options, such as the first results in Google, or the leading political candidates in a vote.
The glut of choices can lead to buyer's remorse and choice dissatisfaction, the author notes. We develop "hedonic adaptation" or the tendency to discount the pleasure we receive from things we already own, when compared to things we don't have.
The glut of information, paradoxically, leads to barriers to learning. We delegate memory of knowledge to Google, the author notes. The internet also accelerates our ability to conglomerate via echo chambers that boost our confirmation bias. There is also the 'familiarity truth effect" wherein statements we see repeatedly online become engrained in memory as truth, even if they have no basis in reality. The internet also diminishes 'memory scaffolding'. Learning of new subjects take steps and foundations which are eroded when facts are readily available from an Internet search. Instead of intrinsic assimilation of knowledge, we outsource our knowledge source to the instantaneous delivery of the Internet.
Thus, the author recommends the following. We should 'satisfice' when making choices by being content with what's good enough.
3) "too much customization" - the author notes too much customization exists online
4) "too many comparisons" -browsing social media leads to upward social comparison and festers envy and shame. The 'hedonic treadmill' diminishes contentment, so that even good service from retail spaces lead to spiralling higher expectations of customer satisfaction, such as response times of minutes instead of hours. The Internet also leads to 'hedonic adaptation' or flatlined appreciation for current circumstances. This means people's level of happiness is influenced less by their objective circumstances but by comparisons and expectations, which are often exacerbated by exposure to social media. The author advises practising gratitude, such as keeping track of good events throughout the day, to deflate effects of Internet envy.
This is a very interesting to book to read on psychological factors and how they are impacted by the Internet.
1) 'too many temptations': " the Internet increases our desires and reduces self control". It leads our ideal states, or dreamed-for or desired states, on an upward spiral of discontent in heightened comparison to our daily reality.
Audiovisual ads bombard the brain with potential pleasure sources. Furthermore, the "hedonic treadmill" is in effect, for ever convincing us that newer ideal states are possible every time we climb a new pleasure plateau, such as a latest purchase. Online shopping utilizes various techniques, such as "foot in the door" investment, overestimation bias of how much we will actually use the product, and '1 click purchases' that reduce self-control.
Thus, to overcome these tempting sales techniques, the book suggests we can use tactics such as 'goal clarity ', software blocks and preplanned budget restraints when going online shopping. We can also derive pleasure from visualizing the positive outcomes of postponed gratification, such as improved savings. We can also permit ourselves positive rewards that pay off more in the long run, such as new experiences and memories over purchases. Ultimately, a belief in one's capability of self-control and capacity to create new habits becomes a self-fulfilling effect.
2) "too much information"- the author notes that choice is good, as self-expression of our preferences among a glut of variety allows us to reflect our values. However, he also notes that this leads to choice paralysis. Studies show that retail spaces with too much choice gain less purchases. Too much choice possibilities creates space for anxiety and imaginings of regret. Thus, consumers often use "choice shortcuts" such as trustworthy brands, and trusted opinion leaders such as friends or celebrity endorsements or professional critics or average reviews. Consumers also often limit their choices to top-ranked options, such as the first results in Google, or the leading political candidates in a vote.
The glut of choices can lead to buyer's remorse and choice dissatisfaction, the author notes. We develop "hedonic adaptation" or the tendency to discount the pleasure we receive from things we already own, when compared to things we don't have.
The glut of information, paradoxically, leads to barriers to learning. We delegate memory of knowledge to Google, the author notes. The internet also accelerates our ability to conglomerate via echo chambers that boost our confirmation bias. There is also the 'familiarity truth effect" wherein statements we see repeatedly online become engrained in memory as truth, even if they have no basis in reality. The internet also diminishes 'memory scaffolding'. Learning of new subjects take steps and foundations which are eroded when facts are readily available from an Internet search. Instead of intrinsic assimilation of knowledge, we outsource our knowledge source to the instantaneous delivery of the Internet.
Thus, the author recommends the following. We should 'satisfice' when making choices by being content with what's good enough.
3) "too much customization" - the author notes too much customization exists online
4) "too many comparisons" -browsing social media leads to upward social comparison and festers envy and shame. The 'hedonic treadmill' diminishes contentment, so that even good service from retail spaces lead to spiralling higher expectations of customer satisfaction, such as response times of minutes instead of hours. The Internet also leads to 'hedonic adaptation' or flatlined appreciation for current circumstances. This means people's level of happiness is influenced less by their objective circumstances but by comparisons and expectations, which are often exacerbated by exposure to social media. The author advises practising gratitude, such as keeping track of good events throughout the day, to deflate effects of Internet envy.
This is a very interesting to book to read on psychological factors and how they are impacted by the Internet.
February 28, 2019
This book covers the five costs of internet which can be grouped into two categories: commercial costs for consumers and social cost for individuals. This book talks about the five costs of living online, namely, too much temptation, too much information, too much customization, too much comparison and too much pprivacy.
At the outset, the author talks about how internet has transformed our lives and how we lives most of our lives online. But it is a fact that internet has made life more difficult for us. The author talks about how there was no internet while he was growing up and how he was introduced to it. He also talks about the benefits of internet and the dark side of internet. He talks about how internet hurts us in five important ways which he calls the cost of living online. Ask me, with two teenagers and a husband who are addicted to it, I completely agree. Each of the five chapters of the book describes a cost, explains its psychological origins and suggest ways to minimize the cost.
The first chapter shows that the internet reduces our self control and makes us easy to overindulge; the second chapter talks about having a world of information at our fingertips which can paradoxically make it difficult to make good choices; the third chapter discusses why having it our own way can cause disappointment; the fourth chapter is about the comparing ourselves with others on the Internet in ways that make us less happy and less productive; and the fifth chapter reveals that people say they have little privacy on the net but then behave online as if no one is watching. The conclusion summarises the central themes of the book and looks into the future of our relationship with the internet.
The author also mentions that this book would be useful to the readers, be it a curious person interested in the net or a manager interested in the business implications of the internet. He also mentions that the Reader would gain broader insights into human psychology; how people think and act and are able to use these insights to make better decisions on their own. He also talks about how internet is a waste of time and money.
The author also mentions how temptations can sometime you take into addiction and these addictive behaviours prominent on the Internet are gaming and shopping. He talks about increased desire which depends on the gap between an ideal and actual States. He also mentions that the internet makes us vulnerable temptation by reducing a self control and at the end of the first chapter he talks about what we can do to keep this danger of temptation at bay.
Chapter two talks about how too much information leads to choice paralysis. He also mentions that research has shown that too much choice or too much information is bad for us in four important ways. He also talks about the three steps we can take to minimise the negative effects of too much information on the Internet namely satisfy and not maximize delegate choice and use decision tools. The third chapter talks about too much customisation in which the author stresses on the negative effects, that is, attitude formation, creativity, risky behavior, product attachment, product assembly, product co-creation, product pricing and online advertising. And like in the other chapters he talks about how we can reduce the echo chamber effect by precommitting it into alternative points of view.
Chapter 4 talks about too many comparisons and how social networks have made it easy to compare ourselves with others and how social networks encourage upward rather than downward social comparisons on the internet. He also talks about the costs of these comparisons, their power and what we can do to overcome it
Chapter 5 talks about too little privacy and how this lack of privacy on the internet is the latest chapter in a history of surveillance. This surveillance state is spreading from the online to the offline world, the costs we pay for it and the privacy gap. He has in details spoken about the reasons for privacy gap and also what we can do as individuals and firms to close this gap.
In conclusion the author mentions that the internet will be our workshop and playground in the 21st century and that we have to understand these costs to help us so we will benefit from the enormous potential of the internet for improving our lives
The language is simple and the author has actually written in the way that he is speaking to the reader about all these things. The way the author has written it made me think twice about what he has spoken and this book is a must read for the current generation who sits more on the internet and who is more wired and who has lesser friends then we had when we were kids and also for adults who are constantly on the net, whether browsing or chatting or even shopping
The research that has gone into the book is evident.
At the outset, the author talks about how internet has transformed our lives and how we lives most of our lives online. But it is a fact that internet has made life more difficult for us. The author talks about how there was no internet while he was growing up and how he was introduced to it. He also talks about the benefits of internet and the dark side of internet. He talks about how internet hurts us in five important ways which he calls the cost of living online. Ask me, with two teenagers and a husband who are addicted to it, I completely agree. Each of the five chapters of the book describes a cost, explains its psychological origins and suggest ways to minimize the cost.
The first chapter shows that the internet reduces our self control and makes us easy to overindulge; the second chapter talks about having a world of information at our fingertips which can paradoxically make it difficult to make good choices; the third chapter discusses why having it our own way can cause disappointment; the fourth chapter is about the comparing ourselves with others on the Internet in ways that make us less happy and less productive; and the fifth chapter reveals that people say they have little privacy on the net but then behave online as if no one is watching. The conclusion summarises the central themes of the book and looks into the future of our relationship with the internet.
The author also mentions that this book would be useful to the readers, be it a curious person interested in the net or a manager interested in the business implications of the internet. He also mentions that the Reader would gain broader insights into human psychology; how people think and act and are able to use these insights to make better decisions on their own. He also talks about how internet is a waste of time and money.
The author also mentions how temptations can sometime you take into addiction and these addictive behaviours prominent on the Internet are gaming and shopping. He talks about increased desire which depends on the gap between an ideal and actual States. He also mentions that the internet makes us vulnerable temptation by reducing a self control and at the end of the first chapter he talks about what we can do to keep this danger of temptation at bay.
Chapter two talks about how too much information leads to choice paralysis. He also mentions that research has shown that too much choice or too much information is bad for us in four important ways. He also talks about the three steps we can take to minimise the negative effects of too much information on the Internet namely satisfy and not maximize delegate choice and use decision tools. The third chapter talks about too much customisation in which the author stresses on the negative effects, that is, attitude formation, creativity, risky behavior, product attachment, product assembly, product co-creation, product pricing and online advertising. And like in the other chapters he talks about how we can reduce the echo chamber effect by precommitting it into alternative points of view.
Chapter 4 talks about too many comparisons and how social networks have made it easy to compare ourselves with others and how social networks encourage upward rather than downward social comparisons on the internet. He also talks about the costs of these comparisons, their power and what we can do to overcome it
Chapter 5 talks about too little privacy and how this lack of privacy on the internet is the latest chapter in a history of surveillance. This surveillance state is spreading from the online to the offline world, the costs we pay for it and the privacy gap. He has in details spoken about the reasons for privacy gap and also what we can do as individuals and firms to close this gap.
In conclusion the author mentions that the internet will be our workshop and playground in the 21st century and that we have to understand these costs to help us so we will benefit from the enormous potential of the internet for improving our lives
The language is simple and the author has actually written in the way that he is speaking to the reader about all these things. The way the author has written it made me think twice about what he has spoken and this book is a must read for the current generation who sits more on the internet and who is more wired and who has lesser friends then we had when we were kids and also for adults who are constantly on the net, whether browsing or chatting or even shopping
The research that has gone into the book is evident.
May 4, 2019
Title: The Internet Trap
Author: Ashesh Mujherjee
Length: 137 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Genre: Non-Fiction, Research
My rating: 4/5
Summary:
The book describes the research conducted by the author on Internet usage and what it does to a person. It details the five costs of living online.
My Take:
I got this book in my brunch book hamper last year. The book immediately caught by attention due to its intriguing title as internet has now become a prominent part of everybody’s lives. It feels we cannot survive without connectivity and feel handicapped even if we forget our mobiles at home any day. I was curious to know the findings of the author.
I would describe this book as an eye opener for the masses. We browse for news, shopping, articles, meanings and millions of things forgetting that everything we type on mobile leaves behind a trail, a pattern of our usage. It’s a fact that everything we do is tracked whether we type things on browser or by keeping our GPS live.
The book has kept all the facts forward with various real life examples and the references to those experiments are annexed. The book also reveals as to what does internet do to a human psychology by giving millions of options to a simple search. How we depend on internet simply amazes me!! We have literally lost the capability to remember the phone numbers or even birthdays of our near ones.
While internet does bring a lot of simplicity and convenience to our lives but it’s equally true that we have become completely dependant on our devices for managing our lives. The book though a short book does makes us wonder on this aspect which we take for granted. Instead of being a luxury, internet has now become a necessity for us.
I loved this book and would recommend it to people who wish to be highlighted on this fact of life.
Author: Ashesh Mujherjee
Length: 137 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Genre: Non-Fiction, Research
My rating: 4/5
Summary:
The book describes the research conducted by the author on Internet usage and what it does to a person. It details the five costs of living online.
My Take:
I got this book in my brunch book hamper last year. The book immediately caught by attention due to its intriguing title as internet has now become a prominent part of everybody’s lives. It feels we cannot survive without connectivity and feel handicapped even if we forget our mobiles at home any day. I was curious to know the findings of the author.
I would describe this book as an eye opener for the masses. We browse for news, shopping, articles, meanings and millions of things forgetting that everything we type on mobile leaves behind a trail, a pattern of our usage. It’s a fact that everything we do is tracked whether we type things on browser or by keeping our GPS live.
The book has kept all the facts forward with various real life examples and the references to those experiments are annexed. The book also reveals as to what does internet do to a human psychology by giving millions of options to a simple search. How we depend on internet simply amazes me!! We have literally lost the capability to remember the phone numbers or even birthdays of our near ones.
While internet does bring a lot of simplicity and convenience to our lives but it’s equally true that we have become completely dependant on our devices for managing our lives. The book though a short book does makes us wonder on this aspect which we take for granted. Instead of being a luxury, internet has now become a necessity for us.
I loved this book and would recommend it to people who wish to be highlighted on this fact of life.
December 12, 2017
We are used with books outlining the tremendous changes Internet brought into our everyday life, but there is nothing like a free lunch. The downsides of the online world are scholarly outlined by the author in a very systematic way. In many extreme ways - like online shopping addiction - the problem was already there and the over exposure to Internet only magnified it, but most probably when you have a specific diagnosis you might know how to stay away of temptations. There is nothing like a scream of warning, but instead the 'traps' and how to balance them are exposed and offered a package of counter measures. An easy and useful read for anyone aware that everything excessively consumed might be dangerous, regardless the significant advantages.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
April 30, 2020
First of all I liked the book, I learned lots of new concepts and even I gained a different angle while using Internet. Basically it focuses 5 areas where online users mostly trapped unconsciously and lose control.
I will now list down all 5 points as it is written by other reviewers but main output for me is to control yourself while being online and behave not using your emotions. And I guess one of the most critical point, since almost all of us using social media, is that to control our feeling with others. I mean looking to someone in Face and IG we shouldn't make us unhappy...
Only one comment, the book is 89 pages excluding appendix,preface... and as well I believe too much customization sometimes good for people:) where Ashesh thinks opposite...
I will now list down all 5 points as it is written by other reviewers but main output for me is to control yourself while being online and behave not using your emotions. And I guess one of the most critical point, since almost all of us using social media, is that to control our feeling with others. I mean looking to someone in Face and IG we shouldn't make us unhappy...
Only one comment, the book is 89 pages excluding appendix,preface... and as well I believe too much customization sometimes good for people:) where Ashesh thinks opposite...
April 29, 2018
Yet another book on the dangers and disadvantages of (using) the internet. No new perspectives, just a comprehensive summary of what is widely known. The book fails to deliver on it's promise of "delivering new perspectives" and "giving readers the tools to become smarter users of the internet". Then again, I might not belong to the target audience...
April 23, 2020
A quick but satisfying read put in terms non-academics can wrap their brains around. Ashesh outlines many of the ways the Internet has changed our lives, both for good and bad, and provides us with ways we can modify the way we use the Internet, and the way we behave online, so that we get more positive results. I liked it.
November 3, 2018
A concise, evidence-backed account of some of the hazards of 'too much internet'. It was all stuff I had heard before, but stated in an easy to understand and referenced way - along with some practical advice about how to overcome said hazards. Handy book!
September 19, 2021
The points written in this book are quite right but the writing style feels too academic and thus a bit hard to read. It feels like someone wrote a essay for an assignment at school or a thesis paper. Well it was still a decent read.
April 15, 2024
A very simple book backed up with proper research and references. The book has been super-helpful for understanding the "The Internet Trap", the author was successful in covering almost all the concepts related to mindful use of internet, the concepts that almost all of us oversee.
May 1, 2018
A quick read that applies many human behaviour and behavioural economics principles to using the internet. There isn't much new in it but worth the reminders.
November 9, 2019
Good read with some very interesting pov.
Written some of my reading notes on my blog.
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https://aarifbillah.com/2019/11/09/th...
Written some of my reading notes on my blog.
.
https://aarifbillah.com/2019/11/09/th...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews