Internet Adoption in Macao

Based on the data from a telephone survey of 868 Macao residents conducted in Macao with 330 Internet users and 538 non-users, this paper examines the characteristics of the users and non-users in terms of their demographics, assessments on media credibility, family functioning, media use, and perceived values of the Internet. Drawing from the literature of diffusion, expectancy-value and media substitution theories, it investigates the relations between Internet use and its potential predictors. The results confirmed the conclusions of previous adoption studies that Internet users were more likely to be male, younger, better educated and with higher monthly household income than non-users. The study also found that demographic variables such as education, sex and income, as well as doing exercise were the significant predictors of Internet use. However, no traditional mass media use variables and perceived values of the Internet were found to be significant predictors.