Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of moderating variables on the attitude-behavior relationship within the context of a specific new media adoption behavior—education at a distance. Despite numerous predictions over the past several years that development of the Internet and the World Wide Web would revolutionize mediated instruction and create a new paradigm for teaching and learning, there is still a fair amount of controversy about the viability and impact of technology-based distance learning environments.

The present study attempted to build on the already well-developed foundation of theory regarding attitude-behavior relationships by exploring to what degree direct experience of technology based distance education exerted an influence on attitude strength, certainty, and behavior toward taking a distance education course for traditional aged college students. In addition, the study looked at how information designed to enhance the salience of normative influences might affect behavior and behavioral intent for those subjects whose lack of direct experience and corresponding lower attitude certainty might make them more susceptible to such influence.

A sample population consisting of 91 undergraduates participated in a 2 x 2 x 3 repeated measures design in which experience and subjective norms feedback served as the between-subjects factors and time of measurement served as the within-subjects factor.

Results indicated that although the attitude-behavior correlation remained fairly consistent across all groups, attitude certainty was significantly higher across the time of measure for subjects who received direct experience of distance education than for subjects who received only indirect experience. In addition, a simple interaction effect was found for subjects in the indirect experience condition who were exposed to positive subjective norms information, indicating more positive behavioral intent for those subjects than for those exposed to either negative or neutral norms information.

Finally, linear regression analysis revealed that for all subjects, attitude, and subjective norms were the most important predictor variables of behavioral intent, while the subjective norms variable was the only significant predictor of behavioral intent for the indirect experience group.

Citation

Irani, T.A. Is experience always the best teacher: The effects of direct experience and salient normative messages on adoption behavior in distance education. Ph.D. thesis, University of Florida. Retrieved August 7, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/120189/.

This record was imported from ProQuest on October 23, 2013. [Original Record]

Citation reproduced with permission of ProQuest LLC.

For copies of dissertations and theses: (800) 521-0600/(734) 761-4700 or https://dissexpress.umi.com

Keywords

• Behavioral Psychology
• higher education
• Mass Communications
• Technology of Education