Beyond the Technology Acceptance Model: Elements to Validate the Human-Technology Symbiosis Model

This chapter forms part of an area of research on the Human-Technology-Organisation relationship. This research has emphasised the emergence of closely linked, intense and symbiotic forms of activity in workplaces and at home. Despite the relevance of the « Technology Acceptance Model », the use of technology doesn't always depend on « perceived usefulness » and « perceived usability », but on the level to which a process of human-machine symbiosis has developed. Based on a survey of 482 respondents we examine this technosymbiosis on three dimensions: (a) a sense of control; (b) the benefit of human- machine mutual adaptation; and (c) the perception of utility. We show that the use of a new technology is correlated with a high level of technosymbiosis, i.e. correlated with these three elements. Finally, the link between these dimensions and the use of technology is established. This validation is based on the correlation between the average score of the rating of attitudes in a questionnaire and the number of technologies the respondents reported using (r = .597, p <.0001). In addition, these three dimensions explain for 35% of the variance (adjusted R2 = .355) in the use of technology.