Using personality traits to predict communication technology use in the home

Lawrence M Bellman, Pace University

Abstract

This dissertation explores a number of personality variables with respect to communication technology use in the home. The selected personality variables are affiliative tendency, purpose in life, locus of control, sensation seeking, innovativeness, technological competence (perceived mastery of the technology), and technological conformity (perceived expected peer behavior). They provide a framework for predicting home adoption and use rates of computer/e-mail, fax transmission, and cellular phones. The results of a survey, administered to a sample of 340 graduate students, produced strong support linking the independent variables of innovativeness, technological competence, and purpose in life to communication technology home use, and partial support for relationships among technological use, and the personality dimensions of affiliative tendency, locus of control, sensation seeking, and technological conformity. Findings indicated that the above personality traits improve our ability to predict the frequency and variety of communication technology use at home for business and personal use. This dissertation suggests a linkage between self-perceived technological competence and technology use. The significance of technological competence related to communication technology product and service use was confirmed.

Subject Area

Personality|Marketing

Recommended Citation

Bellman, Lawrence M, "Using personality traits to predict communication technology use in the home" (1998). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI9816324.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI9816324

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