Effects of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivators on Using Utilitarian, Hedonic, and Dual-Purposed Information Systems: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

While many studies have found that perceived usefulness—an extrinsic motivator—is the strongest determinant of using utilitarian systems, others have found that it is less important than perceived enjoyment—an intrinsic motivator—in predicting hedonic system usage. In light of these interesting but mixed findings, our research applies the motivation theory to investigate the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators on system-use behavior in utilitarian, hedonic, and dual-purposed contexts. We then construct associated hypotheses and empirically test them by analyzing data collected from the literature. The results generally confirm our prediction that, in the context of utilitarian systems, extrinsic motivators are more important than intrinsic motivators, whereas, in the context of hedonic systems, intrinsic motivators play a more critical role than extrinsic motivators. The results thus substantiate our contention that, when information systems vary from utilitarian to hedonic, the most important determinants shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivators. This paper contributes not only to a new application of the motivation theory to IT adoption, but also to an integrated and in-depth analysis of motivators, which may reorient IS scholars toward potentially more fruitful avenues for studying user behavior.