Based on B.F. Skinner's studies on operant conditioning, psychologists came out with behavioural explanations as to why people are addicted to the Internet. For example, there might be a child who is painfully shy and fears meeting new people. He avoids talking to anyone new, and consequently avoids the anxiety associated with new encounters. This avoidance of anxiety is rewarding and reinforces his behavior. This means that he is likely to engage in this behavior (escaping from the problem) whenever he meets new people.

This above scenario relates to addiction and specifically Internet addiction in the following way: The Internet offers many rewards. It offers love, excitement, physical, emotional, and material comfort, and the means to escape from reality through online gambling, e-shopping, online games and other engaging activities. These can all be rewards. If an individual wants these rewards and learns that the Internet will allow him to escape his problems, receive love or have a lot of fun, he will probably turn to the Internet the next time he feels these needs. This becomes reinforced when he feels a rush of excitement when booting the computer and logging online to get his rewards (similar to the euphoria people experience when they go on a spending spree), causing the cycle to continue and hence, resulting in the individual becoming addicted to the Internet.

Trends show that emotional problems such as depression and anxiety-related disorders are triggers of internet addiction disorder. People often use pleasurable thoughts and feelings that occur while using the Internet to psychologically escape and also soothe unpleasant feelings or stressful situations in real life. Thus, the Internet becomes their "security blanket" as it effectively (but artificially and temporarily) helps them to forget unhappy situations in real life. Therefore, they would repeatedly use this method and sooner or later, they would get ensnared by the fantasy world.