From general attitude to individual expectation - local societies facing NICTs

Abstract

The adoption of new media is closely related to the individual 's local and regional environment where much of the significance of new information and communication technologies for the everyday use arises. For this reason the study starts by the hypothesis that acceptance and use of I&C technology in everyday life is determined less by the opportunity to participate in the ‘global village ’ than by their perceived, or at least expected, benefit in the individual ’s own environment. Using an action theoretic model as the basis the authors rise the question which expectations and attitudes lead the members of different social groups to use or not to use I&C technologies in their everyday life. ‘Age ’ and ‘education ’ are used here as core variables for social differentiation. The results that are part of a much broader survey show that the equipment with and the use of I&C technologies do vary clearly according to age and educational level. The difference, however, is less significant on the level of expectations and attitudes. Three basic patterns of expectations and attitudes which correspond to different socio-economic groups and their specific way of action are found by the study.