The composition and role of convergent technology repertoires in audiovisual media consumption

This paper departs from the observation that the amount and the nature of technologies affording audiovisual media consumption have increased exponentially in the past years. Therefore, we inquire what patterns of technologies, or technology repertoires, can be statistically derived from a large sample, consisting of three age cohorts. Moreover, drawing upon a socio-cognitive interpretation of uses and gratifications, we question whether different technology repertoires exercise a moderating effect on the extent to which consumption is explained by deliberate outcome expectancies on the one hand and habit on the other. The results indicate three technology repertoires: (a) predominant television viewers, (b) versatile viewers, mixing all kinds of devices and (c) predominant laptop viewers. Further analysis shows that the versatile viewers' consumption is only explained by habit, indicating this behavior to be strongly rooted in their daily routines. In contrast, both other repertoires are explained by expected outcomes as well, indicating a specific deliberation. Finally, drawing upon domestication theory and Norman's notion of perceived affordances, a qualitative follow-up study was set up, aiming to understand the effects found in the quantitative study. The results suggest remarkably strong distinctions in how technologies are socially constructed and how they are implemented in everyday audiovisual media consumption