TABLE 1: SAMPLE DEMOGRAPHICS.
The entire sample was compared to the the latest (1990)
census figures to determine how well it matched the general population.
Overall, the sample in this study was slightly younger and slightly more
educated than expected from the U.S. census. The sample also presented
a much more ethnically diverse mixture (the U.S. census shows that the
population is 76% white). An interesting finding was that the study sample
showed a substantially higher home computer ownership (51% compared to
under 35% of the US population) and more computer training (40% claimed
to have more than 10 hours of computer training!).
Sample Demographics
(N = 1,215)
|
Gender Breakdown |
Sample Percentages |
|
Male |
51% |
|
Female |
49% |
|
|
|
Age Breakdown |
|
|
18-25 |
30% |
|
26-35 |
32% |
|
36-50 |
26% |
|
51-64 |
10% |
|
65 or older |
2% |
|
|
|
Ethnic Breakdown |
|
|
Asian |
15% |
|
Black |
22% |
|
Hispanic |
19% |
|
White |
45% |
|
|
|
Education Level |
|
|
No High School Degree |
4% |
|
High School Degree |
17% |
|
Some College |
39% |
|
4 Year College Degree |
31% |
|
Post-Graduate Work |
10% |
|
|
|
Family Income |
|
|
under $10,000 |
11% |
|
$10,000 - $25,000 |
25% |
|
$25,000 - $40,000 |
26% |
|
$40,000 - $65,000 |
22% |
|
over $65,000 |
16% |
|
|
|
Home Computer |
|
|
Own Home Computer |
51% |
|
Not Own Home Computer |
49% |
|
© 1996 Larry D. Rosen & Michelle M. Weil |
TABLE 2: ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD TECHNOLOGY
Research by our lab (see our recent book chapter in the
list of references included in this web site)
and others (MCI, consumer research) has shown that people react to technology
in a characteristic fashion. Some are Eager Adopters who embrace technology
as soon as it is released. The Eager Adopters enjoy technology, expect
it to have problems and find solving the problems stimulating and fun.
About 10%-15% of the population are Eager Adopters (MCI's 1994 study of
business executives found 12%). Hesitant "Prove Its" form the
largest group (50%-60% in general; 59% in MCI's study). Hesitant "Prove
Its" are not anti-technology, nor are they usually technophobic (although
they may be). Rather, they are waiting on the sidelines for someone to
show them how technology can help them. They want to know how technology
will specifically make their life easier. Hesitant "Prove Its"
know that technology has problems and they do not necessarily enjoy dealing
with those problems. They would rather wait on the sidelines until there
are no problems.
Resisters still make up 30%-40% of the population (29%
in MCI's study). Resisters avoid technology. They do not like it, want
it or find it enjoyable. They know that technology has problems and take
technological snafus as reflecting a personal shortcoming. Although many
Resisters are technophobic, some are not.
The table below shows that this sample matched the previous
research fairly closely with 18% seen as Eager Adopters and 34% as Resisters.
The right side of the table shows that 37% of the sample rated themselves
as moderately to highly technophobic and another 23% rated themselves as
mildly technophobic. These figures actually show a slightly elevated level
of self-rated technophobia compared with previous work by our lab and others.
|
REACTIONS TO TECHNOLOGY |
LEVEL OF TECHNOPHOBIA |
|
Eager Adopters |
18% |
Not Technophobic |
40% |
|
Hesitant "Prove Its" |
48% |
Mildly Technophobic |
23% |
|
Resisters |
34% |
Moderately to Highly Technophobic |
37% |
|
© 1996 Larry D. Rosen & Michelle M. Weil |
TABLE 3: KNOWLEDGE OF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY
This table shows that one-fourth of the population has
heard only a little about the Information Superhighway and another one-fourth
has heard nothing. (A recent Harris poll found similar figures -- only
48% of their sample had heard anything at all and only one-fourth claimed
to have a reasonable understanding of what the Information Superhighway
actually meant.) Those who had heard about the Information Superhighway
appeared to gain most of their knowledge through the television.
|
"How much have you heard about the
Information Superhighway? |
Where did you learn the most about the
Information Superhighway? |
|
Quite a bit |
27% |
Television |
42% |
|
A little |
47% |
Magazines |
16% |
|
Nothing |
26% |
Newspapers |
15% |
|
© 1996 Larry D. Rosen & Michelle M. Weil |
TABLE 4: INTEREST IN THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY
This table shows that only slightly more than half the
sample claimed to be "Very Interested" in five services, two
financial (paying bills and banking), two entertainment oriented (video
on-demand and television on-demand) and the other the ability to telecommute.
These figures compared favorably to a survey done by MacWorld magazine
in Fall 1994.) When asked how much they would be willing to pay for these
services, only 28% stated they would be willing to pay $30 or more per
month for all services. Another 29% were willing to pay $21 to $30 per
month.
|
FUTURE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY
SERVICE |
PERCENTAGE OF SAMPLE WHO WERE "VERY
INTERESTED" |
|
Pay your bills from your home television |
59% |
|
Ability to work from home |
57% |
|
Video movies on demand |
54% |
|
Ability to watch television shows at any time |
53% |
|
Banking through your home television |
52% |
|
Search an encyclopedia through your home TV |
49% |
|
Pay your income taxes through your home TV |
44% |
|
Send electronic mail from home |
43% |
|
View college classes on television |
42% |
|
Read library books on your home television |
38% |
|
View your medical records on your home TV |
37% |
|
Shop from home through your television |
33% |
|
Play games on your home television |
32% |
|
Read a newspaper on your home television |
30% |
|
Read magazines on your home television |
29% |
|
Join discussion groups with other people |
29% |
|
© 1996 Larry D. Rosen & Michelle M. Weil |
TABLE 5: PREDICTORS OF INTEREST IN THE INFORMATION
SUPERHIGHWAY
Using a series of Stepwise Multiple Regression equations,
an optimal set of variables was extracted to predict who would be interested
in services on the Information Superhighway. Services were combined all
together as well as into groupings of Entertainment Services, Financial
Services, Educational Services and Other Services (electronic mail, discussion
groups, medical records access and telecommuting). Results clearly indicate
that the best predictor for all but entertainment services was a composite
measure of Technophobia or psychological reactions to technology. In terms
of relative weight (beta weights shown in the figure), Technophobia was
at least twice as important as any other variable in predicting usage of
all services combined and financial, educational and other services separately.
Age was the second best predictor in all these cases.
|
PREDICTORS OF INTEREST IN THE INFORMATION
SUPERHIGHWAY |
|
Multiple Regression Steps |
All Services Combined |
Entertainment Services |
Financial Services |
Educational Services |
Other Services |
|
Step 1 |
Technophobia (.31) |
Age (.19) |
Technophobia (.22) |
Technophobia (.29) |
Technophobia (.33) |
|
Step 2 |
Age (.16) |
Technophobia (.15) |
Age (.11) |
Age (.10) |
Age (.08) |
|
Step 3 |
Asian (.13) |
Asian (.14) |
Hispanic (.11) |
Education (.08) |
Education (.08) |
|
Step 4 |
Black (.13) |
Black (.14) |
Education (.04) |
Black (.10) |
Own a PC (.07) |
|
Step 5 |
Hispanic (.10) |
|
|
Asian (.09) |
Black (.09) |
|
Step 6 |
Education (.06) |
|
|
|
|
|
Step 7 |
Own a PC (.06) |
|
|
|
|
|
© 1996 Larry D. Rosen & Michelle M. Weil |
LONGITUDINAL TRENDS
When the three samples, collected over a six-month period,
were examined for trends over time, very little change was observed. There
was no increase in how much was known about the Information Superhighway,
and interest in most specific services stayed constant. The amount that
people were willing to pay also remained constant over time.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the American public is not
ready to eagerly embrace the coming Information Superhighway until their
general discomfort with technology is reduced or eliminated. Other work
from our lab suggests that having a calm, relaxed, jargon-free person introduce
new technology by providing a personal motivation is critical to future
comfort and acceptance.