¿ Por qué usamos las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones? Un estudio sobre las bases sociales de la utilidad individual de Internet

Abstract

One of the most controversial questions in the study of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is what leads some citizens and not others to start using this type of technology. The most common theory in individualist studies regarding the use of ICTs known as Technological Acceptance Model (TAM ). This model prioritizes individual and subjective variables in explaining the study of Internet usage (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use). In our paper we apply to the data from a national survey a statistical method that incorporates to the TAM model a set of social and demographic variables. Our aim is to show to what extent these variables, mainly level of education and age, affect the individual variables used by the TAM . Thus we aim to offer a sociological version of the TAM model that is characterized by its greater explanatory power.