| This study is one of the first to use Media System Dependency theory to understand individual-Internet relationships within an online activity context. Described as Internet Dependency Relations (IDR), it examined these relations among Internet users in the U.S. and India. Overall IDR intensity and intensity of six IDR goal dimensions---social/self understanding, action/interaction orientation, and social/solitary play goals---was explored. Demographic, geographic, and Internet use predictors of IDR were also investigated. In addition, audience exposure (time and frequency), involvement (cognitive and emotional), and satisfaction with e-commerce, information search, communication, and entertainment activities online were also explored. Finally, the study examined the predictive influence of IDR on activity exposure, involvement, and satisfaction. Data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey administered to a non-probability sample of U.S. and Indian Internet users (n = 700) in September 2002. Statistical analysis found evidence of positive Internet Dependency Relations among users in both countries. IDR was most pronounced for social understanding, action orientation, and solitary play goals, and least for self understanding goals. Among IDR antecedents, demographic factors (most notably age) significantly emerged as better predictors than country or Internet experience, with younger people displaying stronger IDR, as also pursuing a wider range of IDR goals online. The study also found greater exposure to, and involvement and satisfaction with communication and information search than with e-commerce and entertainment activities among users in both countries. Though not examined statistically, a positive pattern of association between activity exposure, involvement, and satisfaction was indicated. Regression analysis found significant relationships between IDR goals and activity exposure, involvement, and satisfaction. IDR for action orientation, interaction orientation, and social understanding goals exerted a positive influence, while IDR for self understanding goals exerted a negative influence on online activities. In addition, information search activities appeared to be driven by Internet dependency for social understanding goals, e-commerce activities by action orientation goals, communication activities by action and interaction orientation goals, and entertainment activities by play goals. Significant contributions include the discovery of theoretically tenable relationships between IDR, exposure, involvement, and satisfaction. There were few differences by country for these variables, and it appeared that Indian users had bridged the digital divide in Internet usage and dependency despite lower Internet proliferation in the society. Though this study's findings may not be generalizable to Internet user populations at large, they provide some significant new information from a media dependency perspective on particularistic connections with the Internet. |
