Teen Internet Use: Relating Social Perceptions and Cognitive Models to Behavior

Abstract

In order to provide Internet researchers with a better understanding of how and why individuals adopt some online behaviors and not others, this study targets teenage Internet users to examine the relationships among social influence and self-regulatory models as mechanisms to the behavior of Internet use. Information, entertainment, and social online activities are presented as three distinct uses of the Internet so corresponding behavioral models of adoption could be tested. Results from 173 high school students indicate that direct and vicarious social perceptions significantly influence self-regulation, which subsequently has an effect on use. Using path analyses to test the direct and indirect theoretical relationships among these constructs, the data indicates that while clearly fitting two of the three models tested, three unique processes to adoption are evident.