How Do IT-related Traits Drive the Internet Use of Mature Adults? The Interplay of Curiosity and Control

It can frequently be observed that mature adults use the Internet differently as younger members of society. We propose a model based on IT-related traits to conceptualize the Internet use behavior of mature adults, specifically focusing on curiosity- and control-related traits. We empirically tested our model by investigating the duration and intensity of mature adults’ Internet use. The results reveal that traits reflecting ‘curiosity’ (Personal Innovativeness in IT and Computer Playfulness) explain variations in the duration of Internet use, while traits reflecting ‘control’ (Computer Self-Efficacy and Computer Anxiety) predict the intensity to which mature adults make use of the Internet. Our paper thereby contributes to research on post-acceptance variations and on individual differences in IT use.

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