<p>Current research on Internet addiction has largely overlooked the interactive effects between the overall environment and behavior. Can Internet addiction be viewed as a maladaptive response to the digital environment? To explore the developmental trajectory of Internet addiction, a two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 1,624 adolescents from a life history perspective. The results indicated that: (1) Stressful life events positively predicted Internet addiction; (2) Belief in a just world served as a longitudinal mediator between stressful life events and Internet addiction; and (3) Subjective socioeconomic status strengthened the link between stressful life events and belief in a just world, but attenuated the association between belief in a just world and Internet addiction. Based on these findings, the study discusses the maladaptive nature of Internet addiction, examines the role of belief in a just world within the context of life history mechanisms, and suggests that special attention should be given to adolescents with low subjective socioeconomic status to bolster their belief in a just world in order to reduce their levels of Internet addiction.</p>