The Distinct Roles of Prior IT Use and Habit Strength in Predicting Continued Sporadic Use of IT

This article studies prediction of continued IT use in conditions where individuals use the technology sporadically. Our study augments the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model [Venkatesh et al., 2003] with measures of prior IT use frequency and habit strength. We find these two factors provide distinct predictions which explain most of the effects that occur within the model under sporadic use conditions

Effects of Prior Use, Intention, and Habit on IT Continuance Across Sporadic Use and Frequent Use Conditions

This article is motivated by the desire to integrate and expand two literature streams, one that models effects of prior information technology (IT) use and habit strength on continued IT use and another that studies how to apply such models to IT that are used in a characteristically sporadic manner. We find that joint predictions of continuance intention, prior IT use, and habit strength within our research model are superior to subsets of the model across the extended range of usage frequency we studied. However, subsets of the model can also provide reasonable predictions where all measures are not available

An Integrative Model of IT Continuance: Applying Measures of Intention, Prior IT Use, and Habit Strength Across Conditions of Sporadic and Frequent IT Use

This paper is motivated by the desire to integrate and expand two recent literature streams, one that models effects of prior IT use and habit strength on continued IT use and another that studies how to apply such models to IT that are used in a characteristically sporadic manner. We find joint predictions of continuance intention, prior IT use, and habit strength within our research model are superior to subsets of the model across the range of frequency we studied. However, subsets of the model are able to provide reasonable predictions where all measures are not available

Antecedents Of Information Systems Habit In Sporadic Use Of Learning Systems: Personalization And Peer Effects

Research on Information Systems (IS) habit formation has been focused mostly on IS habit’s effect on IS continuance. Antecedents of IS habit formation, as reported in the literature, are primarily on users’ prior behavior and comprehensiveness of usage. Most of the literature focus on analyzing the relationship between users’ IS usage behavior and IS habit. Limited work has been reported to investigate genuine and practical ways to develop IS habit, as well as to address the issue of sporadic IS usage, which leads to different interpretations on IS habit and continuance. This study purports to address the theoretical gap on issues related to IS habit antecedents and sporadic IS usage habit in the educational context. Adopting an empirical survey in universities’ (sub-degree and postgraduate settings) learning systems usage, data from cross-sectional survey on learning systems usage on per-course basis is analyzed. Theoretically, our results suggest that IT functionality design (personalization) and social factor (peer effect) have strong and positive relationship on IS habit with respect to the sporadic usage nature of course based learning systems. Practically, we suggest some dimensions for teachers on curriculum design that facilitate IS habit development, e.g., maintaining an online community with substantial student peer input at the early stage of a course

Three Processes that Form Online Social Networking Post-Adoptive Use Intention

Not all individuals log into an online social networking (OSN) website because they have deliberately reflected on how useful and fun it will be. For some users, this post-adoptive use decision requires a less deliberate process based on past experience. For still others, the decision is automatic and requires little, if any, reflection on beliefs or prior experiences. While past research has examined these different post-adoptive thought processes, no research to date has done so in an OSN context. This study develops a research model that combines reflective, transitional, and non-reflective thought processes into a comprehensive model of post-adoptive OSN intention. We test the hypotheses with cross sectional data collected from Facebook users. We find that all three thought processes predict intention, although the effects of experience on intention during the transitional and non-reflective thought processes are strongest. Results also show that habit, enjoyment, trust, usefulness, and privacy concern predict OSN continuance intention

Making the Case for Leveraging the Patient-Centered E-Health (PCEH) Context to Expand Information Systems Theory

Patient-centered e-health (PCEH) represents a fascinating area of digitized stakeholder interactions characterized by complex information flows, shared decision making, co-created value, and mutual interest in improving health outcomes. Such a context lies in contrast to often contentious firm-consumer relationships characterized by self-interest, surplus maximization (from both producer and consumer sides), and consumer segmentation. This article suggests that PCEH is an ideal context in which to study the emerging class of information systems that include consumers as empowered influencers, stakeholders, and decision makers, rather than only “purchasers” on the other side of the exchange relationship or “mandated” users in the enterprise context. The PCEH context is proposed as an enormous research opportunity that may significantly contribute to expanding information systems research and theory

Gender-Related Differences in Heroin Use

Although the incidence of heroin addiction among women may be rising, knowledge concerning the rates by which use is initiated and terminated remains sparse. In response to this gap, a secondary analysis has been conducted on a sample of Black methadone-maintained addicts. As the individuals included in this study are clearly self-selected, it is not possible to investigate the etiology of their addiction. Hirschi, Matza, Sutherland and Cloward provide the theoretical framework for a descriptive analysis of gender-related differentials. Bivariate and multiple discriminant analysis show significant differences between male and female clients in ties to conventional society, associates cultivated and patterns of drug use. Women in this sample develop stronger ties to the family while men are more likely to participate in the labor force. Men have more extensive criminal histories and are involved in violent and property-related crimes at greater levels than women. However, women report more extensive exposure to heroin use within the family. As anticipated, women in this sample first tried heroin at an older age and have been addicted for a shorter period of time before attempting methadone maintenance. A further series of regression and multiple discriminant analyses identifies several different patterns of experiences, centered around the clients' current living arrangements and labor force participation. These patterns may be suggestive of what can be expected while a client is maintained on methadone. The first pattern identified appears to fit into the framework provided by Hirschi. Men and women not living with family at entry to treatment, in the "fast life", have fewer ties to family and the labor force prior to addiction. They are more involved in crime. Although not indicated in the data, this pattern most likely preceeds an earlier age of addiction. Their socialization is truncated. Further ties to conventional society are not established or cultivated and criminal activity remains extensive. These clients appear to use treatment as a respite from the rigors of "hustling" and purchasing drugs. Once this life is viable again, they leave. A second set of patterns may be closer to Matza's conceptualization of drift, characterized by relatively conventional behavior along with the intermittent commission of deviant acts. Men living with their family attempt to fulfill the traditional role assigned to males, despite the difficulties faced by minority group members living in the inner city. These men have the strongest employment histories and are relatively uninvolved with the criminal justice system, both before and during addiction. They are most successful in treatment. Women who head their households apparently establish a pattern of behavior reminiscent of traditional gender-role expectations. They typically marry prior to addiction, drop out of the labor force and remain relatively removed from crime. These women appear to leave treatment only when another program offers a higher level of maintenance, perhaps due to their limited legal and illegal options. Female clients living with their spouse at entry to treatment are not clearly distinguishable from those living with children, but evidence a few distinctive aspects worth exploring. With one exception, these women have not expanded their families to include children. Their employment history is more extensive, and their marriage more likely to be established after addiction. Their higher levels of heroin use while remaining in treatment may indicate ambivalence. Several theoretical and programmatic implications can be drawn from the findings presented above. (1) The distribution by sex of the lifestyles described suggests that they "fast life" might be less accessible to women. As hypothesized by Cloward and Piven, the manner in which an addiction career is carried out may be molded by widely held expectations associated with gender. (2) While the findings indicate that female clients may have special needs, the similarities among males and females choosing a specific lifestyle could indicate specialized programs might not be the answer. Clearly, female clients in this sample have a greater need for assistance with children and may wish to train for different jobs compared with men. Yet, if program counselors are properly sensitive, these clients may be as well served within a heterosexual environment. The needs of clients in this sample to create and strengthen ties to family and the labor force go beyond sex. Given current fiscal constraints, it might be prudent to strengthen existing programs, especially in the area of vocational training, rather than establish separate facilities

Understanding the Individual-level digital divide : evidence of an African Country

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementDigital divide, the differential in access and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) represents an obstacle to the information society, and general wellbeing. This study combines the extended unified theory of acceptance, and use of technology (UTAUT2) (Venkatesh, Thong, & Xu, 2012), Schwartz’s basic human values theory (Schwartz, 1992) and ICT skills to: (1) understand which factors influence ICT acceptance among individuals; (2) explore the role of basic values on ICT acceptance; and, (3) examine how these factors explain the digital divide. The research model was tested in the context of a sub-Saharan country. Empirical results suggest that ICT use is mainly influenced by behavioral intention, habit, and ICT skills. Hedonism, achievement, benevolence, and universalism were the most significant values

Editors’ Introduction to the Special Section on Patient-centered e-Health: Research Opportunities and Challenges

We initiated the CAIS Special Section on Patient-Centered e-Health (PCEH) to provide support for the PCEH discipline, which has recently emerged to meet the practical need of supporting patients in managing their health. Because there are significant challenges in designing, developing, and using PCEH applications, there are many opportunities for IS researchers to study familiar topics, but in the very different healthcare delivery context. As an emerging discipline, PCEH is struggling with reconciling ambiguous definitions across studies, defining the discipline boundaries (how they overlap and are distinct from related research areas), and developing the exemplary research studies that can guide future research. Thus, the goal of this Special Section, as far as possible, is to gather a set of research articles that will move the PCEH discipline forward by providing resources and examples to support future PCEH research that is theory-based, is focused, and can build a cumulative literature and research tradition. In this Introduction to the CAIS Special Section, we argue that IS researchers are especially well-equipped to undertake PCEH research and thereby overcome the many challenges unique to PCEH study. We discuss the challenges in the emerging PCEH discipline and present approaches that IS researchers might take to meet these challenges and produce the exemplary studies needed to further the discipline. Our arguments and observations are supported by the fourteen articles that make up the Special Section. These fourteen articles represent four areas of emerging PCEH research, namely PCEH and the Healthcare Delivery Context; Models of Acceptance, Use, and/or Outcomes; Patient-centered Design Research; and Assessment of PCEH websites

Sporadic voters: how attitude change influences voter turnout

This dissertation investigates the important role attitudes play in determining the participation levels of a large number of Americans. Over the past 30 years the prominent theories in the political participation literature have stressed the importance of socioeconomic status in explaining voter turnout. More recently, some have suggested that voting is a habit that most Americans acquire over their lifetimes. I contend that this previous work is incomplete in that it overlooks a large segment of the public that I describe as sporadic voters. Using National Election Study panel data from the early 1970s and 1990s, I find that neither socioeconomic status nor habit explains the voting behavior of sporadic voters. Sporadic voters decide to participate in elections based on their political attitudes at the time of any given election. If they have stronger partisan attachments, greater campaign interest or more external efficacy sporadic voters will be more likely to show up at the polls regardless of changes in education, age or income