Online recreation: The relationship between loneliness,Internet self-efficacy and the use of the Internet for entertainment purposes

In this study, 150 undergraduates answered questions about their Internet usage and completed a loneliness and an Internet self-efficacy questionnaire. A factor analysis of the Internet usage items revealed three facets of online recreation, including, using the Internet for: computer-based entertainment, to facilitate offline entertainment, and for information about the entertainment world. Those who scored higher on loneliness were more likely to use the Internet for computer-based entertainment, as well as, use the Internet to obtain information about the entertainment world. Individuals higher in Internet self-efficacy were more likely to use the Internet for computer-based entertainment and to facilitate offline entertainment. Implications for the study of the psychological influences of the Internet are discussed in this paper.     

Gender,age and income differences in internet usage among employees in organizations

This paper reviews and discusses Internet issues and reports the findings of a survey concerning the impact of gender, age and income on employees’ Internet usage in Turkey. Internet usage was categorized in two empirical factors, namely usage profile (reason for using the Internet, average daily use of the Internet) and usage patterns (average daily use of the Internet for communication/e-mailing/chat, information access/downloading/entertainment and electronic services). The survey was conducted among 200 employees from public and private sector organizations. The results indicated that gender has a positive impact on average daily time spent on the use of the Internet for communication/e-mailing/chat and information access/downloading/entertainment. Age has a positive impact on average daily use of the Internet in general and a negative impact on the use of the Internet for information access/downloading/entertainment. Income was not found to have an impact on empirical factors. Finally, gender, age and income do not have any significant impact on average daily use of Internet for electronic services such as e-commerce/e-shopping/e-banking/e-government.     

Relationships among Internet use,personality, and social support

Competing claims have been presented in the literature regarding the impact of Internet use on social support. Some theorists have suggested that Internet use increases social interaction and support (Silverman, 1999, American Psychologist 54, 780–781), while others have argued that it leads to decreased interaction and support (Kiesler & Kraut, 1999, American Psychologist 54, 783–784). This study was designed to address this issue by examining the relationships among Internet use, personality, and perceived social support. Two-hundred and six participants completed questionnaires that assessed Internet use, personality (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness), and perceived social support. Using principal components analysis, individual computer activities were combined into three primary factors: Technical, Information Exchange, and Leisure. Correlation and regression analyses revealed only a marginal relationship between computer use and social support. Similarly, only modest associations were found between personality and computer use. However, personality did moderate the relationship between computer use and social support. That is, on two occasions, high computer use coupled with high personality was associated with decreased perceived social support and on a third occasion this combination resulted in increased perceived social support. These results help to address some of the inconsistencies that have been reported in the literature.     

Computers and the Internet as a job assisted tool: based on the three-tier use model approach

Personal attitudes are a major factor to affect individual information technology usage. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of individual attitudes toward computers and the Internet usage for assisting job performance. This research applies the 3-TUM approach to understand individual attitudes toward computers and the Internet usage. After statistical analysis, the results provide a support that the 3-TUM is appropriate model for investigating faculty and staff perceptions toward computers and Internet. In addition, the results also support that using computers and the Internet may assist individual job performance. Furthermore; this study offer evidence that when individuals have more self-efficacy and feel computers and the Internet are more useful, then they have more behavioral intention to use and learn computers and the Internet for assisting their job performance.     

Determinants of academic use of the Internet: a structural equation model

The last decade of the 20th century brought radical changes in information and communication technology. Internet usage is being widely researched in the business world. However, the use of the Internet in academic settings in general and in vocational and technical establishment in particular is a neglected area. Successful use of the Internet is largely dependent upon the user's behaviour that, in turn, affects their attitudes. Even when remarkable opportunities exist for the deployment of technology, adverse attitude can inhibit use. Keeping this in mind, a survey of 166 academics of four technical and vocational colleges was conducted to study the attitudes of academics toward the use of the Internet. This study develops a model and validates two specific attitudinal variables--perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use--which are hypothesized to be fundamental determinants of use of the Internet. Adding two more variables--such as task characteristics and computer exposure--test the parsimony of the model further. A structural equation modelling technique is used to validate the model. The study confirmed that 79% of academics are using the Internet. Computer experience, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use remain to be fundamental determinants of attitude formation. No other variables have been found to be significant.     

Determinants of academic use of the Internet: A structural equation model

The last decade of the 20th century brought radical changes in information and communication technology. Internet usage is being widely researched in the business world. However, the use of the Internet in academic settings in general and in vocational and technical establishment in particular is a neglected area. Successful use of the Internet is largely dependent upon the user's behaviour that, in turn, affects their attitudes. Even when remarkable opportunities exist for the deployment of technology, adverse attitude can inhibit use. Keeping this in mind, a survey of 166 academics of four technical and vocational colleges was conducted to study the attitudes of academics toward the use of the Internet. This study develops a model and validates two specific attitudinal variables--perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use--which are hypothesized to be fundamental determinants of use of the Internet. Adding two more variables--such as task characteristics and computer exposure--test the parsimony of the model further. A structural equation modelling technique is used to validate the model. The study confirmed that 79% of academics are using the Internet. Computer experience, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use remain to be fundamental determinants of attitude formation. No other variables have been found to be significant.     

Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Social Networking Sites (SNS): Impact of Subjective Norm and Social Capital on the Acceptance of SNS

With their heavy traffic and technological capabilities, social networking sites (SNS) introduced a new means of building and maintaining perceived social capital. This study aims to identify underlying factors and causal relationships that affect behavioral intention to use SNS. For this purpose, this research developed an extended technology acceptance model, incorporating subjective norm and perceived social capital for predicting SNS acceptance and usage. Exploratory correlation and path analyses were conducted to identify the relationships between five constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, perceived social capital, and intention to use. The results showed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use had robust effects on the user's intention to use SNS. The research findings also demonstrated that subjective norm and perceived social capital were significant predictors of both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use and therefore should be considered as potential variables for extending the technology acceptance model.     

An exploratory investigation of the antecedents and impact of internet usage: an individual perspective

Internet usage in the US workplace is increasing at a phenomenal rate. This exploratory study examines factors influencing employee internet usage and individual perceptions of the consequences of such usage. Using the Theory of Reasoned Behaviour, a questionnaire was designed and circulated to part time MBA students in north-east United States. This preliminary study suggests that the personal factors of web skills and playfulness are associated with perceived internet usefulness, the degree of internet usage, and have both positive (enhanced job characteristics, job satisfaction) and negative (increased inefficiency) impacts. Neither the personal variables of age and gender nor any of the organizational variables are important antecedent variables. To those who perceive the internet as intimidating, there was, understandably, less internet usage. Perceived usefulness was positively related to increased time of use and internet impacts. In general, the findings indicate that extending the research on microcomputers to internet usage is a promising research focus. On the basis of this study, the leadership challenge is to harness the tremendous potential of the internet, working to control and improve inefficiencies while not discouraging internet usage.     

Internet parenting styles and the impact on Internet use of primary school children

Next to available data about actual Internet use of young children at home, most research especially focuses on the threats and opportunities about active Internet usage. Limited empirical research focuses on the role and impact of parents in this context. In the present study, Internet parenting styles are defined and operationalized to study the impact on actual Internet usage of children at home. Two dimensions are distinguished in Internet parenting styles: parental control and parental warmth. Based on a survey, involving 533 parents from children in primary schools, this Internet usage was studied from the perspective of Internet parenting styles. Results point at high Internet access at home. As to the parenting styles, we observe a dominance of the authoritative parenting style (59.4%). The styles differ when controlling for parent gender, educational background and age. Parenting styles are also linked to level of parent Internet usage, Internet attitude and Internet experience. Parenting styles also significantly affect child Internet usage. The highest child usage level is perceived when parents adopt a permissive parenting style; the lowest level is observed when parents adopt an authoritarian Internet parenting style. The variables Internet parenting style, parent Internet behavior, and parent educational background significantly predict Internet usage of children at home (R² = .44). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and directions for future research.     

The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation

Current approaches to measuring people’s everyday usage of technology-based media and other computer-related activities have proved to be problematic as they use varied outcome measures, fail to measure behavior in a broad range of technology-related domains and do not take into account recently developed types of technology including smartphones. In the present study, a wide variety of items, covering a range of up-to-date technology and media usage behaviors. Sixty-six items concerning technology and media usage, along with 18 additional items assessing attitudes toward technology, were administered to two independent samples of individuals, comprising 942 participants. Factor analyses were used to create 11 usage subscales representing smartphone usage, general social media usage, Internet searching, e-mailing, media sharing, text messaging, video gaming, online friendships, Facebook friendships, phone calling, and watching television in addition to four attitude-based subscales: positive attitudes, negative attitudes, technological anxiety/dependence, and attitudes toward task-switching. All subscales showed strong reliabilities and relationships between the subscales and pre-existing measures of daily media usage and Internet addiction were as predicted. Given the reliability and validity results, the new Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale was suggested as a method of measuring media and technology involvement across a variety of types of research studies either as a single 60-item scale or any subset of the 15 subscales.     

Explaining the Relationship between Internet Use and Interpersonal Trust: Taking into Account Motivation and Information Overload

Although a growing body of empirical research has assessed the relationship between Internet use and social capital, little is known about what mechanisms underlie this relationship. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by articulating and testing a multi-step model specific to the development of interpersonal trust, a critical component of social capital. In considering the influence of Internet use on interpersonal trust, this model takes into account motivation and information overload. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model with data from the 2006 Gadgets Survey of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. This analysis indicates that the effects of social resource motivation for Internet use on interpersonal trust were mediated by Internet use and perceived information overload. In addition, Internet use inversely influenced perceived information overload, Internet use influenced interpersonal trust, and perceived information overload inversely influenced interpersonal trust. These findings are considered in reference to previous literature on Internet effects, uses and gratifications, information processing, and the cognitive mediation model.     

Understanding web activity patterns among teachers,students and teacher candidates

This study sought to understand generational and role differences in web usage of teachers, teacher candidates and K–12 students in a state in the USA (n = 2261). The researchers employed unique methods, which included using a custom‐built persistent web browser to track user behaviours free of self‐report, self‐selection and perception bias. Results revealed that all three groups utilized a variety of resources daily, but with some noticeable differences. For instance, (1) teachers and teacher candidates used the Internet on school devices much more than students; (2) they accessed general, multimedia, search, entertainment, shopping and social resources at a higher rate than students; (3) students visited a higher proportion of educational websites than their teachers; and (4) teachers visited a higher proportion of search pages than teacher candidates. Results may be useful for researchers (1) to better understand generational differences between groups; (2) to expand educational technology research to better include non‐pedagogical support tools for educators; and (3) to serve as a counterpoint for self‐report data on web resource frequency of use, which may provide different results.     

Exploring students' awareness and perceptions: Influencing factors and individual differences driving m-learning adoption

This study investigates students' awareness and perceptions of m-learning and examines the factors affecting students' behavioral intention to adopt m-learning, by using a modified research model that integrate technology acceptance model (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (social influence) along with other factors (m-learning services and mobile limitations). In addition, control (gender, field of study, study level) and moderator variables (mobile capabilities, level of mobile usage, and frequent use of m-services) were introduced to verify the individual differences between respondents on the key factors affecting the adoption and usage of m-learning. Structural equations modeling and path analysis were used to test the hypotheses and the proposed model. The results revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were found to be the primary factors driving students' intentions to use m-learning. Both m-learning services and social influence have positive effects on the acceptance of m-learning, while mobile limitations were found to be the main obstacle restraining students' participation in a m-learning environment. Most of the control variables yield no significant differences between students, but all the moderator variables were found to be significant determinants that can influence students to adopt m-learning. Overall, students have great potential to engage and integrate mobile technology into their educational environment.     

Influence of individual characteristics on whether and how much consumers engage in showrooming behavior

This article investigates a set of individual characteristics that can explain whether and how much a consumer engages in showrooming behavior. The authors conceptualized and empirically examined certain variables’ impact on both showrooming probability as well as the extent of behavior. The variables under consideration include consumers’ involvement, prior knowledge, perceived risk, price consciousness, Internet usage, access device usage, and certain demographic variables. The results reveal that involvement and price consciousness significantly explain whether a consumer is a potential showroomer. Further, showrooming frequency is found to be affected by prior knowledge, perceived risk, price consciousness, Internet usage, access devise usage, and age. Some implications are discussed regarding how retailers can handle showrooming.     

Physicians' resistance toward healthcare information technology: a theoretical model and empirical test

This paper presents a theoretical model of physician resistance of healthcare information technology (HIT) usage by integrating the technology acceptance and resistance to change literatures, using a dual-factor model of technology usage. This model elaborates the interdependent and asymmetric effects of inhibiting usage perceptions, such as resistance, on HIT usage intentions relative to enabling perceptions, such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. It also proposes perceived threat as a predictor of resistance, perceived compatibility as predicting perceived usefulness, and related knowledge as predicting perceived ease of use. The resulting model is empirically supported using a field survey of a computerized physician order entry system among 129 practicing physicians at a large acute-care hospital. Our study illustrates the importance of incorporating user resistance in technology usage studies in general and HIT usage studies in particular, grounds resistance research within extant theories of technology usage, and provides a preliminary model of resistance that can serve as the starting point for future research in this relatively unexplored yet potentially fertile area of research.     

Measuring Internet usage: The Israeli case

The article describes two instruments for measuring Internet Usage and the changes in subjects’ Internet usage following a controlled intervention. It focuses on the use of usage and lack of usage for measuring the digital gap. The “digital gap” is defined as the gap between individuals with and without access to technology (telephones, computers, Internet access) and related services. Since its emergence, the Internet has become the most important form of information and communication technology (ICT).The goal of the present research was to develop ways of measuring Internet usage for different segments of the Israeli population (it can also be used to measure Internet usage outside Israel). For the past few years, the Israeli government has sponsored programs designed to increase Internet usage in specific segments of the Israeli population. Some of these programs have been “controlled programs”. Controlled Internet Usage Programs are planned and monitored programs, which use research methods to discover whether they have increased Internet usage and changed Internet habits.The population of Internet users in Israel is presently 45.8% (compared with 68.2% in the US population). The past 5 years has witnessed a significant rise in the number of Internet users in the West in general and in Israel specifically: an increase of 152% in the number of Israeli households connected to the Internet during the period 2000–2005.However, large differences are apparent between the stronger and weaker sections of the Israeli population where the Internet is concerned, and controlled intervention is therefore a very important means of reducing these discrepancies.The present article describes two measurement instruments: the first instrument examines on-line proficiency, while the second determines patterns of Internet use and the status of respondents’ “Internet awareness”.The instruments were built to determine the reduction in the digital divide associated with Internet usage following controlled intervention, and the population's Internet usage status before and after intervention. The difference between the two measurements represents the increase or decrease in Internet usage.These two instruments may be used by agencies making decisions about resource disbursement to reduce the digital divide in a variety of populations.     

The relationships between Turkish adolescents’ Internet addiction,their perceived social support and family activities

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the relationships between adolescents’ Internet addiction, their perceived social support and the activities carried out with the mother, father and family. The study designed with the survey model involved 166 adolescents who applied to Merkez Efendi Public Hospital Moris ?inasi Children’s Clinic, Child Development Polyclinic between February 2012 and June 2012 for problems specific to the period of adolescence. The age range of the participants was between 12 and 18 with the average age of 15.5. The findings of the study revealed a medium level of negative relationship (r = −.37) between perceived social support and Internet addiction. The adolescents spending time with their mothers had a higher level of perceived social support and a lower level of Internet addiction. Also, t-test was applied to see whether the adolescents’ perceived social support and Internet addiction differed with respect to the activities they carried out with the mother, father and family. It was found out that a number of activities (watching TV, eating meals, chatting, shopping and spending time outside) the adolescents carried out with their mother increased their level of perceived social support although the levels of Internet addiction did not differ with respect to the types of activities carried out only with the mother, only with the father and with the family.     

Educating jurors: technology,the Internet and the jury system

This paper explores two ways in which the Internet and technology impact upon the jury trial. The first issue concerns jurors' improper use of the Internet to conduct research into the case they are hearing and the improper use of social networking websites. It is important to minimise the prejudicial effect that the introduction of extraneous material might have on the legitimacy of the verdict and the integrity of the jury system in the Internet age. This paper argues that more needs to be done to educate jurors about their role and the importance of abiding by judicial directions. The second issue concerns the positive impact that the use of technology may have in court as a tool to aid jury comprehension. Further research is required into measures which may be taken in order to accommodate the increase in use of technology and the Internet within today's jury system.     

Understanding the behavior of mobile data services consumers

Due to rapid advances in the Internet and wireless technologies, a ubiquitous computing world is becoming a reality in the form of mobile computing. At the center of this phenomenon is mobile data services which arise from the convergence of advanced mobile communication technologies with data services. Despite the rapid growth in mobile data services, research into consumers’ usage behavior is scarce. This study attempts to identify and empirically assess the factors that drive consumers’ acceptance of mobile data services. A research model based on the decomposed theory of planned behavior and incorporating factors that represent personal needs and motivations in using mobile data services is presented. The model is tested via an online survey of 811 consumers of four categories of mobile data services (i.e., communications, information content, entertainment, and commercial transactions) associated with different usage contexts. We found that attitude, social influence, media influence, perceived mobility, and perceived monetary value influence consumers’ intention to continue usage of mobile data services. In addition, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived enjoyment influence attitude toward continued usage of mobile data services. Finally, separate analysis of the different categories of mobile data services highlights the influence of individual usage context on consumers’ behavior.

Millennial engineers: Digital media and information ecology of engineering students

Media significantly shape how and what we learn. To date there is limited understanding of digital media and information use by engineering students. We comprehensively review existing literature and present findings from a research study investigating digital media and information use of ‘millennial’ engineers who purportedly possess distinctive experience, habits, and perceptions about technology. We administered a multiple-item survey to a cohort of first year engineering students who entered a large public university in the United States in August 2009. Self-reported information on the frequency of media device usage, participation in social networking, academic activities and information seeking tendencies, was received from 204 participants. Similar to other youth, millennial engineers use technology extensively and are frequent users of both commonly used digital devices as well as applications. Students’ device ownership was marked by a relatively low use of desktop computers and significant use of mobile devices. Students reported using the Internet extensively for both entertainment and school related work. Facebook™ use was common but Twitter™ use was limited. Multitasking was common and its self-reported effectiveness varied across participants. Gender differences were found across several items. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed.