The Measurement of Perceived Social Usefulness

IS research into technology acceptance has concentrated on the use of technologies for enhancing work performance. Web technologies, however, can be used as the means to gain access to new knowledge, engage in entertainment activities and get involved in communities of interest. Firms have begun to recognize human needs for socialization and are adding forums and chat rooms to their websites. These social interactions provide opportunities for participating in events, learning new ideas and establishing or enhancing one's social identity. For these reasons, a new construct is needed to study the motivation to use technology for intrinsically satisfying social activities. This research describes, operationalizes and rigorously validates a new construct, termed Perceived Social Usefulness, following Churchill's paradigm for scale development. This measure can aid researchers in the quest for richer explanations of consumer behavior involving technologies not strictly intended for the accomplishment of work.