Individual Behavioral Intention Research Articles

Does Transactive Memory Systems Promote Knowledge Integration Directly?

With the increasingly prevailing innovation 2.0 and internet plus, knowledge management literatures have advocated the direct effect of transactive memory systems (TMS) on knowledge integration ignoring the fact that TMS eventually leads to the integration action mediating individual behavioral intentions. Given this apparent gap, we investigate integrative process of individual knowledge based on TMS and behavioral intention. The explorative results are that: individual intention has significant and positive impact on knowledge integration directly; specificity and coordination of TMS have significant and positive effect on individual intention directly; the effect of credibility of TMS on individual intention is not significant. These preliminary outcomes can be applied to explain the most individual knowledge integration phenomenon.

Relational Effects on Physical Activity: A Dyadic Approach to the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Despite growing appreciation of how close relationships affect health outcomes, there remains a need to explicate the influence romantic partners have on health behavior. In this paper, we demonstrate how an established model of behavior change-the theory of planned behavior (TPB)- can be extended from an individual level to a dyadic (couple) model to test the influence that relationship partners have on a key determinant of health behavior-behavioral intentions. Two hundred romantic couples (400 individuals) completed TPB measures regarding physical activity for themselves and their romantic partner as well as a measure of relationship quality. Above and beyond the individual-level TPB predictors of behavioral intentions (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control), the romantic partner's perceived behavioral control (PBC) regarding physical activity predicted each individual's behavioral intentions and moderated the influence of each individual's PBC on his or her own behavioral intentions. Additionally, the romantic partner's perceptions of each individual's TPB measures predicted each individual's behavioral intentions to be physically active. Quality of the relationship also moderated some partner influences on individuals' intentions. This paper provides a roadmap for integrating a dyadic framework into individual-level models of behavior change. The findings suggest that data from both partners and relationship quality are important to consider when trying to understand and change health-related behavior such as physical activity. The results broaden the potential applications of the TPB as well as our understanding of how romantic partners might influence important health-related practices. (PsycINFO Database Record

Understanding emotional bond between the creator and the avatar: Change in behavioral intentions to engage in alcohol-related traffic risk behaviors

This study examines the joint impact of an individual's relationship with his or her avatar and negative consequences to the avatar on changing the individual's behavioral intentions (BI) in terms of alcohol-impaired driving. One hundred eleven participants volunteered to participate in several experimental conditions where the degree of choice of avatar features and the degree of control of the avatar's actions were manipulated in Second Life, an immersive 3D virtual environment. Participants who were allowed to customize their avatars viewed their avatars not only more similar but also emotionally closer to themselves, and perceived their avatars to be physically more attractive than those who were assigned basic avatars. After observing a car crash caused by drunk driving, participants in the choice and control condition were more likely to change BI positively when they identified their avatars to be similar to themselves, and regarded their avatars more attractive. Furthermore, participants who were allowed to control their avatars were more likely to attribute the responsibility of the car accident to themselves than those who observed someone else's avatar playing. Implications for the use of virtual reality games in promoting healthy behaviors are discussed in detail.

With Good We Become Good: Understanding e-learning adoption by theory of planned behavior and group influences

Intention-based research proposes that intention can effectively predict technology adoption behaviors and emphasizes examining antecedents to increase technology adoption intention. Intention-based research demonstrates how individual internal perceptions can derive external behaviors. However, individual behavioral intention can be changed due to external social influences. Although current research investigates the impact of social influence on behavioral intention, this investigation views it as usually manipulated as “subjective norm”, which represents the social influence from a particular individual (or individuals) within a group. This kind of manipulation may be regrettable because we may ignore the important influences brought by the group as a whole. Group influences may change individual behavioral intention by the processes of compliance, identification, and internalization. However, current intention-based research devotes less of effort to investigate group influences with other intentional antecedents. To bridge this gap, this study extends intention-based research by considering the impact of group influences. Specifically, we examine e-learning technology adoption by extending theory of planned behavior with social identity and social bonds. Survey data collected from 201 e-learning participants is used to verify the developed hypotheses. Our findings suggested that user attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and social bonds presented significant positive correlations to e-learning intention. In addition, social identity and social bonds could moderate the effect of subjective norms on intention. The findings also indicated that intention enhanced the time for using e-learning technology rather than frequency. Research implications and limitations are also discussed.

“You may have a cancer-causing virus and not even know it” Fear appeals in online news

Most explanations of health risks are presented as “fear appeals,” messages that attempt to arouse fear to modify personal behavior. The central goal of this research is to assess fear appeal performance in online news while examining several research-design issues. Looking at digital news content as fear appeals will expand the scope of research into a new area, and more effective measurement and induction will avoid some common pitfalls. An online experiment produced data indicating that perceived threat and efficacy relationships developed as expected in online news and that improvements in research-design artifacts strongly affect observed variable relationships. Fear appeal and efficacy messages included in digital media content seem to be effective means to altering individual behavioral intentions.

Consumer adoption of virtual stores in Korea: Focusing on the role of trust and playfulness

AbstractThe business‐to‐consumer aspect of electronic commerce (EC) is the most visible business use of the World Wide Web (WWW). A virtual store allows companies to provide product information and offer direct sales to their customers through an electronic channel. Success in this business is dependent on understanding the concerns of customers and identifying the factors that promote the intention to use a virtual store. Thus, this paper aims to examine the human motivations underlying individual behavioral intention to use a virtual store in Korea. This study employs TAM (technology acceptance model) as the base model and develops a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect a virtual store. The model employs playfulness, trust, information richness, and system quality, in addition to perceived usefulness and ease of use. The study investigates the causal relationships among the constructs used in this revised TAM and identifies the causal role of the constructs in developing the intention to use a virtual store. It finds that attitude toward a virtual store is the most significant factor in predicting the behavioral intention to use a virtual store. It also identifies perceived playfulness, perceived trust, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use as four major factors that directly affect virtual store users' attitudes. The results also indicate that information richness and system quality have significant albeit indirect impacts on consumer adoption of a virtual store. Considering the explosive growth of the virtual store market, a well‐established business strategy in a virtual store will deliver great success to the virtual store operators. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Influence of Personality Traits and Information Privacy Concerns on Behavioral Intentions

This study incorporates the Big Five personality traits into a theoretical model that explains and predicts individuals concerns for information privacy, computer anxiety, and individual behavioral intentions. Data was gathered via a survey, which was completed by 230 undergraduate college students, and analysis was conducted utilizing structural equation modeling. Agreeableness was found to have a significant influence on individual concerns for information privacy while neuroticism was found to have a significant influence on computer anxiety. In addition, intellect exerted a significant influence on both computer anxiety and behavioral intentions. Key insights for theory and practice are presented.

The Centrality of Awareness in the Formation of User Behavioral Intention toward Protective Information Technologies

While there is a rich body of literature on user acceptance of technologies with positive outcomes, little is known about user behavior toward what we call protective technologies: information technologies that protect data and systems from disturbances such as viruses, unauthorized access, disruptions, spyware, and others. In this paper, we present the results of a study of user behavioral intention toward protective technologies based on the framework of the theory of planned behavior. We find that awareness of the threats posed by negative technologies is a strong predictor of user behavioral intention toward the use of protective technologies. More interestingly, in the presence of awareness, the influence of subjective norm on individual behavioral intention is weaker among basic technology users but stronger among advanced technology users. Furthermore, while our results are consistent with many of the previously established relationships in the context of positive technologies, we find that the determinants “perceived ease of use” and “computer self-efficacy” are no longer significant in the context of protective technologies. We believe that this result highlights the most significant difference between positive technologies and protective technologies: while the former are used for their designed utilities, for which usefulness and ease of use have a significant impact, the latter are used out of fear of negative consequences, for which awareness becomes a key determinant. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. The findings of this study extend the theory of planned behavior to the context of protective technologies and shed insights on designing effective information security policies, practices, and protective technologies for organizations and society.

Computer-mediated group influence on ethical behavior

Drawing on previous research in ethical behavior in information technology, this study examines the effects of group discussion, using virtual teams, on an individual’s intention to behave ethically/unethically. It was hypothesized that behavioral intention would be influenced by an individual’s attitude (toward ethical behavior), personal normative beliefs, ego strength, locus of control, perceived importance, gender and the scenario, and that computer-mediated group discussion would impact an individual’s ethical behavioral intention. This was tested through an experiment using five different ethical scenarios involving information technology. The results show that for two of the five scenarios, individual behavioral intention was significantly more unethical after computer-mediated group discussion than before, while for one scenario, individual behavioral intention was significantly more ethical after computer-mediated group discussion than before. The results of this study may help organizations to develop realistic training programs for IT professionals that account for changes in employee’s personal ethical models after interacting with others.

Mobile internet acceptance in Korea

PurposeThe increasing number of M‐internet subscribers and the fast growing revenue proves the great potential of M‐internet as well as the enormous business opportunity in Korea. The success in this business is dependent on understanding the concerns of customers and identifying the factors that promote the use of M‐internet. Thus, this paper aims to examine the human motivations underlying individual behavioral intention to use M‐internet in Korea.Design/methodology/approachEmploys TAM (technology acceptance model) as the base model and develops a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect M‐internet context. The model employs perceived playfulness, contents quality, system quality, internet experience and perceived price level, in addition to perceived usefulness and ease of use. Investigates the causal relationships among the constructs used in this revised TAM and identifies the direct and indirect causal role of the constructs in developing the intention to use M‐internet.FindingsFinds that attitude toward M‐internet is the most significant factor in predicting the behavioral intention to use M‐internet. Also identifies the positive role of the perceived playfulness and the negative role of perceived price level in developing the attitude as well as the intention. The positive causal relationships of “perceived contents quality – perceived usefulness”, “perceived system quality– perceived usefulness” and “internet experience–perceived ease of use” were also witnessed.Practical implicationsConsidering the explosive growth of the M‐internet market, well‐established business strategy in M‐internet will deliver great success to the mobile operators. Thus, understanding comprehensive causal relationship among the constructs used in this revised TAM would help managers to better implement the strategic ramifications in promoting M‐internet.Originality/valueDevelops a more comprehensive version of TAM to better reflect M‐internet context in Korea, adding five new constructs and identifies the role of the construct in promoting the use of M‐internet.