Relating personality (Big Five) to the core constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

Abstract

The aim of this study was to enrich the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology with personality as defined by the Big Five model, and to examine the relationship of the five factors of personality to the important variables regarding acceptance and use of desktop videoconferencing (DVC) in higher education. A structural models were validated and study hypotheses were stated (n = 413). The structural model revealed that performance expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions had a direct effect while neuroticism had an indirect effect on behavioural intentions to use DVC (R 2 = 38.6%). Moreover, neuroticism had a significant negative effect on performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions, agreeableness positively impacted effort expectancy and conscientiousness explained effort expectancy. The structural model was further examined across male and female student groups. The results indicated different patterns of strength and significant relationships between groups and with the overall model, suggesting that gender played a moderating role. Implications of these results are discussed.