Attitudes and the Digital Divide: Attitude Measurement as Instrument to Predict Internet Usage

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are the most important way of getting informed in our society. Unfortunately not all people have access to the internet and ICTs (first order digital divide), and an amazingly large number of people do not have the abilities to use the ICTs in a proper way and, therefore, cannot draw advantages from its usage (second order digital divide). Clearly, whether people can be informed or not depends on access to the new media and the ability to use them. This paper shows that the variable attitude plays an important role in this context. Attitudes can serve as an important dimension when explaining the adoption and diffusion of new technologies. This paper presents data from a 2007 telephone survey in Austria and describes the attitude structure of users and non-users by means of a representative random sample (N=529). The tripartite definition of attitudes serves as a useful heuristic in structuring the analysis. In providing new operationalizations, we found significant differences between users and non-users concerning their attitudes towards the internet and new technologies. Age and education prove to be major determinants of attitude patterns. The influence of the affective component has to be especially emphasized, not only when overcoming the initial obstacle of getting online, but also when it comes to willingness to learn and become a sophisticated user (second order digital divide). Therefore our analysis gives starting points for intervention programs to encourage more people to use the net.

Gratifications and Credibility Judgment of Online Information for Task Completion – A Comparison of Students and Workers

“…Younger people had a high probability of being the Internet users, compared to older people. Education also had a strong influence on the Internet usage (Donat, Brandtweiner, & Kerschbaum, 2009). Younger people viewed these media more credible than older people.…”

Sustainability of e-participation through mobile technologies

“…Research on the socio-economic impact of the digital divide is not new (Husing & Selhofer, 2002) with a number of studies focusing on the speed of ICT adoption; abilities to use ICTs and its attendant benefits; and attitudes related to adoption and usage (Donat, Brandtweiner, & Kerschbaum, 2009). However, the digital divide persists and in developing countries where the impact is greater, the concern is that these countries are not only falling behind, but also falling apart (Collier, 2007).…”

User Resistance to Information System Implementations: A Dual-Mode Processing Perspective

“…Then, as an implementation proceeds, their attitudes form, strengthen (Kim et al 2009) and, playing an increasingly important role (Lee 2011), can cause a system to be accepted or resisted (Alsajjan & Dennis 2010;Angst & Agarwal 2004;Donat et al 2009;Kim et al 2009;Lee 2011;Zhang & Sun 2009). System champions are advised, therefore, to consider how the HAPI outlined in this paper might be affecting their users and, given that established attitudes are less susceptible to change (for example Brock & Balloun 1967;Batson 1975;Frey 1986;Burris, Harmon-Jones & Tarpley 1997), to do so from a user's first encounter onwards.…”