This study examines the effects that individual personality traits have on
technology acceptance. Previous research on technology acceptance focuses primarily on
exogenous variables such as trustor’s perceptions, attitudes, computer anxiety, positive or
negative affect, age, and experience. This research seeks to improve our understanding of
technology acceptance by examining user interpersonal traits as the underpinnings of user
perceptions of technology and disposition to trust. A general theory of personality, the
interpersonal circumplex (IPC) model, is used here as a framework to explain IT-users’
computer self-efficacy, computer anxiety, and perceptions about- and trust in technology.
The interpersonal circumplex model is well established and provides a strong foundation
for understanding interaction styles and interpersonal trust. Based on the interpersonal
circumplex model, I develop predictions about how various personality types will interact
with technology acceptance model (TAM) related variables: that is, I predict how
individuals with different interpersonal traits will rate the following: their computer selfefficacy,
computer anxiety, and perceptions of an information system’s performance; the
system’s trustworthiness, ease of use, usefulness; as well as the user’s behavioral
intention to use the system in the future. In general, I hypothesize that a computer user’s
blend of the primary interpersonal dimensions of Control and Affiliation influences his or
her responses to computer usage related questions. In this study, student-participants
completed an on-line assessment of their interpersonal dispositions, using the Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Values (CSIV; Locke, 2000); subsequently the studentparticipants
reported their perceptions of- and trust in a computer-based learning system
that they used as part of their class. In particular, this research suggests that the
Communality (Affiliation) dimension of personality, as measured by the CSIV, indicates
particular and significant correlations to user’s computer anxiety, perceived system
performance, perceived usefulness (of the technology), and behavioral intent to use (IT)
in the future. The Interpersonal Circumplex demonstrates improved acuity in detecting
personality differences that may impact the way users respond to, perceive, and evaluate
technology. As a new tool for information systems research, the IPC shows potential to
provide further insight into IS theory by building a bridge between interpersonal theory
and technology acceptance models.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3016 |
| Date | 15 May 2009 |
| Creators | Brown, Houghton Gregory |
| Contributors | Anderson, Evan E., Poole, M. Scott |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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