Continued Use of IT: An Emotional Choice

Information technology (IT) is ubiquitous in modern workplaces. Achieving the business benefits of an IT system is intimately tied up with the continued incorporation of the system into the work practices it is intended to support. What makes people incorporate IT into their practices and how do they do it? While much is known about different use behaviors, the social, cognitive and technical factors that influence use, less is known about non-use behaviors as well as the role of emotional factors in users’ choices on how to continue using a new technology post adoption. Through a longitudinal field study and a survey conducted in two universities, we examine how and why specific use patterns emerge and what the role of emotions is in this process. We find that based on emotional experiences around IT, people develop personal valuations towards an IT artifact, which are expressed in various (non-)use patterns.

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