| More individuals than ever are surfing the Internet to fulfill a variety of social, personal and business needs. Due to growing interest in Web technology, and the explosion of information being moved to the Web, research on this phenomenon is essential. This dissertation addresses two key points in this arena: (1) Can specific factors be identified which motivate individuals to use Web technology in the multiple domains of their life, and (2) Can a theoretically rich model be developed to predict acceptance behavior of new multi-functional technologies with greater accuracy than existing models, such as the Technology Acceptance Model by Davis, 1985.; A major contribution of this research is the development of a Technology Acceptance Model for the World Wide Web (TAMWWW). Literature from psychology, quality of life, consumer behavior, and information systems were integrated to formulate a multi-dimensional "Extended Usefulness" construct. Extended Usefulness is comprised of three areas where individuals may perceive benefits: Perceived Social Usefulness, Perceived Personal Usefulness and Perceived Work Usefulness.; A fresh consumer-oriented operationalization of Attitude covers both cognitive and affective reflections. An inherent personality trait, known as the Optimum Stimulation Level (OSL), provides new insights into the role that an individual's tolerance for stimulation and novelty play in perceptions of cognitively demanding, computer-mediated environments. These findings suggest that OSL is a key variable influencing Usefulness and Ease of Use perceptions. Computer Self-Efficacy, which measures user confidence in using new software, continues to demonstrate a positive effect on Ease of Use.; Finally, this research indicates that individuals are highly motivated to accept multi-functional technologies into their lives and apply them to meet basic and higher-order human needs. The richer conceptualization of Extended Usefulness is shown to be a powerful determinant of Attitude and Intent to use Web technology. New scales, generated and validated here, extend the repertoire of tools available to researchers charged with the task of examining technologies designed for the 21st Century. |
