Abstract
Acceptance intuitively is a precondition for the adaptation and use of technology. In this systematic review, we examine academic literature on the “simple scale for acceptance measurement” provided by Van der Laan, Heino, and de Waard (1997). This measure is increasingly applied in research on mobility systems without having been thoroughly analysed. This article aims to provide such a critical analysis. We identified 437 unique references in three aggregated databases and included 128 articles (N = 6,058 participants) that empirically applied the scale in this review. The typical study focused on a mobility system using a within-subjects design in a driving simulator in Europe. Based on quality indicators of transparent study aim, group allocation procedure, variable definitions, sample characteristics, (statistical) control of confounders, reproducibility, and reporting of incomplete data and test performance, many of the 128 articles exhibited room for improvements (44% below.50; range 0 to 1). Twenty-eight studies (22%) reported reliability coefficients providing evidence that the scale and its sub-scales produce reliable results (median Cronbach’s α >.83). Missing data from the majority of studies limits this conclusion. Only 2 out of 10 factor analyses replicated the proposed two-dimensional structure questioning the use of these sub-scales. Correlation results provide evidence for convergent validity of acceptance, usefulness, and satisfying with limited confidence, since only 14 studies with a median sample size of N = 40 reported correlation coefficients. With these results, the scale might be a valuable addition for technology attitude research. Firstly, we recommend thorough testing for a better understanding of acceptance, usefulness, and satisfying. Secondly, we suggest to report scale results more transparently and rigorously to enable meta-analyses in the future. The study protocol is available at the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/j782c/).
Highlights
The “simple scale for acceptance measurement” from colleagues [1] has been widely applied in transportation research
All empirical applications of the Simple Scale regardless of geographical region were eligible for inclusion, as long as the article to be included was written in English or German
We identified 17 topics of focus in the included articles with driver assistance systems (45), automated driving (21), intelligent speed adaptation (14), vehicle safety systems (11), and electric vehicles (11) being the most frequent
Summary
The “simple scale for acceptance measurement” from colleagues [1] (hereafter referred to as Simple Scale) has been widely applied in transportation research. Researchers used the scale as subjective assessments of bicycles [2], helicopters [3], automated driving [4], or various in-car. Systematic review on the simple scale for acceptance measurement collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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