Modeling the factors affecting individuals' use of community networks: A survey exploration of community information and technology use behavior.

摘要

Understanding users' attitudes/perceptions and their influence on behavior can be an important step in developing more complete models for the prediction of community information and technology use. This study attempted to provide such an understanding by elaborating Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB), a widely applied social behavior model. Basically, TPB explains a behavior as the result of Attitude, Social Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control. These three factors are, in turn, influenced by Behavioral, Normative, and Control Beliefs, respectively. To further accommodate the behavioral characteristics investigated, this study (1) decomposed the three types of beliefs into ten salient beliefs adopting a Uses and Gratifications Approach, and (2) incorporated three external variables— Sense of Community, Past Experience, and Demographic Variables . Using these predictor variables, a community network use model was developed for assessment.; Using both mail and Web surveys, data were collected from a total of 417 users of a community network. Structural equation modeling was employed as the major statistical analytic technique for a series of data analyses: measurement model assessments for validity and reliability tests, a proposed research model assessment; posthoc analyses; and a best-fitting model proposition.; The initially proposed model was found to fit only marginally due to many ill-specified paths. A final well-fitting research model was proposed through respecifications of the initial model. This model consists of dynamic paths among the five strongest predictors of Use: three Behavioral Beliefs in functional utilities (i.e., learning, social interactions, and community connection), Attitude , and Intention. By identifying Behavioral Beliefs in Community Connection as a key predictor, this study showed that citizens value a community network as a means of satisfying their community connection needs, not as just another Internet Service Provider (ISP).{09}This study also suggested a need for future research on the influence of “ Availability of an alternative ISP ” on Use. Although the final model is theoretically and statistically justifiable, the proposed model in this study should be further tested with different samples. Using a theoretical and statistical modeling approach, the current study represents an initial step toward uncovering fundamental mechanisms that explain community information and technology use.