Multigroup Invariance Analysis Research Articles

Assessing the intention to use technology among pre-service teachers in Singapore and Malaysia: A multigroup invariance analysis of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

This study assesses the pre-service teachers’ self-reported future intentions to use technology in Singapore and Malaysia. A survey was employed to validate items from past research. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a research framework, 495 pre-service teachers from Singapore and Malaysia responded to an 11-item questionnaires containing four constructs: intention to use (ITU), attitude towards computer use (ATCU), perceived usefulness (PU), and perceived ease of use (PEU). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed as the main method of analysis in this study. A multi-group analysis of invariance was performed on the two samples. The results show that configural and metric invariance were fully supported while scalar and factor variance invariance were partially supported, suggesting that the 11-item measure of the TAM may be robust across cultures and that the factor loading pattern and factor loadings appeared to be equivalent across the cultures examined. While all the paths in the structural model were significant, the variance accounted for in the dependent variable (ITU) was much larger in the Malaysian sample relative to the Singaporean sample.

The mediating influence of unconditional self-acceptance and labile self-esteem on the relationship between multidimensional perfectionism and exercise dependence

Objectives Previous research has indicated that perfectionism may be an important antecedent of exercise dependence (Hagan, A. L., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2003). The relationship between exercise dependence and perfectionism. American Journal of Health Studies, 18, 133–137; Hausenblas, H. A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002a). Exercise dependence: a systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 3, 89–123, Hausenblas, H.A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002b). How much is too much? The development and validation of the exsrcise dependence scale. Psychology and Health, 17, 387–404). To date, however, few studies have sought to examine the psychological processes that underpin this relationship. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the degree to which self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were associated with exercise dependence, and to ascertain whether the relationships were mediated by unconditional self-acceptance and labile self-esteem. Method Three hundred and seven middle-distance runners completed a multi-section inventory that included Hewitt, P. L., & Flett, G. L. [(1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 456–470] Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Chamberlain, J. M., & Haaga, D. A. F. [(2001). Unconditional self-acceptance and psychological health. Journal of Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 19, 163–176] Unconditional Self-acceptance Scale, Dykman, B. M. [(1998). Integrating cognitive and motivational factors in depression: initial tests of a goal orientation approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 139–158] Labile Self-Esteem Scale, and Ogden, J., Veale, D., & Summers, Z. [(1997). The development and validation of the Exercise Dependence Questionnaire. Addiction Research, 5, 343–356] Exercise Dependence Questionnaire. Results Structural Equation Modeling provided support for three hypotheses. First, that self-oriented perfectionism had a direct positive effect on exercise dependence. Second, that unconditional self-acceptance fully mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and exercise dependence. Third, that labile self-esteem mediated the relationship between unconditional self-acceptance and exercise dependence. Multi-group invariance analysis further indicated that there were subtle variations in the nature of these relationships for male and female samples. Conclusions The findings from the present study indicate that both self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism may be critical antecedents of exercise dependence, but that the psychological mechanisms underpinning their association with exercise dependence may differ.

Exploring the effects of direct experience on IT use: An organizational field study

Empirical studies have investigated the effect of attitude and behavior on IT acceptance in organizations but yielded ambiguous results. Possibly they have not effectively accounted for the moderating effects of experience gained through direct interaction with the target technology. We examined the moderating effect of the length of direct experience on IT acceptance relationships and constructs. Using multi-group invariance analysis, we demonstrated that relationships between key IT acceptance constructs differed, depending on the user's experience. The incorporation of direct experience can lead to convergent results and contribute to further understanding of the process. We discuss some implications from the knowledge that IT use is a dynamic process and suggest that IT management must account for direct experience in their decision making.

A cross-cultural analysis of the end-user computing satisfaction instrument: A multi-group invariance analysis

IT managers in global firms often rely on user evaluations to guide their decision-making in adopting, implementing, and monitoring the effectiveness of enterprise systems across national cultures. In these decisions, managers need instruments that provide valid comparisons across cultures. Using samples representing five nations/world regions including the US, Western Europe, Saudi Arabia, India, and Taiwan, we used multi-group invariance analysis to evaluate whether the end-user computing satisfaction (EUCS) instrument (12-item summed scale and five factors) provided equivalent measurement across cultures. The results provided evidence that the EUCS instrument's 12-item scale and the five factors were equivalent across the cultures we examined. The implications of this for the global management of technology are discussed. Knowledge of the equivalence of MIS instruments across national cultures can enhance the MIS cross-cultural research agenda.

A multi-group analysis of structural invariance: an illustration using the technology acceptance model

Selecting the appropriate mix of functional and/or interface characteristics to achieve user acceptance has proven to be a more challenging and difficult decision than expected. While numerous studies have shown that the technology acceptance model (TAM) is useful for predicting acceptance, estimates of its structural weights are not consistent across studies. Using initial exposure data from 742 users of office suite applications (i.e., spreadsheet, database, word processing, and graphics), our research illustrated the use of multi-group analysis of structural invariance (MASI) to test differences in structural weights across population subgroups for latent variables in TAM. We argue that, for large sample studies containing latent variables, MASI may be a more appropriate test of differences for structural weights/regression coefficients than analysis of covariance. The managerial implications of the results in setting functionality and interface goals and allocating resources to continued development efforts are discussed.

Using Davis's Perceived Usefulness and Ease‐of‐use Instruments for Decision Making: A Confirmatory and Multigroup Invariance Analysis

ABSTRACTAs key components of Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM), the perceived usefulness and perceived ease‐of‐use instruments are widely accepted among the MIS research community as tools for evaluating information system applications and predicting usage. Despite this wide acceptance, a series of incremental cross‐validation studies have produced conflicting and equivocal results that do not provide guidance for researchers or practitioners who might use the TAM for decision making. Using a sample of 902 “initial exposure” responses, this research conducts: (1) a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the validity and reliability of the original instruments proposed by Davis, and (2) a multigroup invariance analysis to assess the equivalence of these instruments across subgroups based on type of application, experience with computing, and gender.In contrast to the mixed results of prior cross‐validation efforts, the results of this confirmatory study provide strong support for the validity and reliability of Davis's sixitem perceived usefulness and six‐item ease‐of‐use instruments. The multigroup invariance analysis suggests the usefulness and ease‐of‐use instruments have invariant true scores across most, but not all, subgroups. With notable exemptions for word processing applications and users with no prior computing experience, this research provides evidence that the item‐factor loadings (true scores) are invariant across spread sheet, database, and graphic applications. The implications of the results for managerial decision making are discussed.