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In all cases we have filmed the best available copy. University Microfilms International 300 N. ZEEB RD.. ANN ARBOR, Ml 48106 8128966 Bo l t o n , W il l ia m T h e o d o r e , Jr . THE PERCEPTION AND POTENTIAL ADOPTION OF CHANNEL 2000: IMPLICATIONS FOR DIFFUSION THEORY AND VIDEOTEX TECHNOLOGY The Ohio Slate University PH.D. 1981 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, M I 48106 Copyright 1981 by Bolton, William Theodore, Jr. All Rights Reserved PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark V . 1. Glossy photographs or pages______ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print_____ 3. Photographs with dark background_____ 4. Illustrations are poor copy ______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy ______ 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page______ 7. 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Wayne Talarzyk Advisor 0 COPYRIGHT WILLIAM THEODORE BOLTON 1981 THE PERCEPTION AND POTENTIAL ADOPTION OF CHANNEL 2000: IMPLICATIONS FOR DIFFUSION THEORY AND VIDEOTEX TECHNOLOGY By William Theodore Bolton, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1981 Professor Thomas McCain, Advisor The dissemination of computerized information into the home, via interactive home information systems, has been characterized as a revolutionary technological innovation which will affect the way people work, and how they conduct their daily lives. This research examined one form of this technology during a three month field test of a proto­ type viewdata system called Channel 2000. Channel 2000 as an electronic informational device, delivered library and banking services, in addition to various types of community information, to 71 randomly selected Columbus, Ohio households. Users had free and unlimited access to these electronic services throughout the field test. Diffusion theory served as the theoretical model which guided the questionnaire development and data interpretation procedures used in this research. According to diffusion theory, the perceived attributes of an innovation can to a certain extent, determine whether an innova­ tion such as Channel 2000, is either accepted or rejected. In an effort to assess the degree to which these perceptions, and other life style, personality, and socio-demographic measures could discriminate between iii potential adopters and non-adopters of Channel 2000, a series of three stepwise two-group discriminant analyses were completed. .. Three significant discriminant functions were derived using each of these measures before, during, and after the test. The innovation perceptions consistently demonstrated the most discriminatory strength among all other measures. The perceptions themselves also indicated that although Channel 2000 was perceived as being not complex, users felt that it offered them few advantages, and that it was not very compatible with their current experiences, values, or needs. The results of this study suggested that innovation perceptions may be a very useful discriminatory tool, as well as a helpful device in the development of future home information systems. Other recommenda­ tions for future research, and the implications for diffusion theory and videotex technology which resulted from this research, are presented within the discussion of the findings. All questionnaire items and frequency tabulations are also included as Appendices. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Channel 2000 project represented the combined efforts of many individuals. The author is deeply indebted to the following people for their dedication, assistance, and encouragement throughout this research effort: Tom McCain, Tom Harnish, Wayne Talarzyk, Joseph Foley, Neal Kaske, Dave Penniman, Mark Bendig, Dennis Schmidt, Mark Ackerman, David Hsiao, D. C. Palmer, Phil Coit, Rich Skopin, Ric Limes, Jim Ginter, Clark Leavitt, Chris O ’Dea, Hugh Clark, Decision Research Corporation, and Jaimee Bolton. v VITA November 6, 1951 ............ Born - Syracuse, New York 1974 ....................... B.A., Psychology, Ohio Wesleyan Univer­ sity, Delaware, Ohio 1975-197-6 ................... Account Executive, WDVR, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1977 ....................... M.A., Communications, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1977-1978 ................... Producer/Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, New York 1978-1979 ................... Teaching Associate, Department of Commun­ ication, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1979-1980 ................... Research Assistant, OCLC, Inc., Columbus, Ohio PUBLICATIONS "A Lesson in Interactive Television Programming: The Home Book Club on Qube." Journal of Library Automation, 14:2, 1981. "Media Use and the Life Span: Notes on Theory and Method." American Behavioral Scientist, 23:1, September/October 1979. Co-authored with John Dimmick and Thomas McCain. RESEARCH AREAS Major Areas: Audience Analysis, Media Technology Assessment Minor Areas: Consumer Behavior, Communication Theory PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS American Association of Public Opinion Research Speech Communication Association American Marketing Association Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .......................................................... ill ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................... v VITA .............................................................. vl LIST OF T A B L E S ................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ................................................ xlii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ....................................... 1 The P r o b l e m ................................... 4 II A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ......................... 10 Defining V i d e o t e x .......................... 10 Teletext and Viewdata ........................ 16 Projections for Videotex Systems ............ 18 Diffusion of Innovations: A Theory of Social Change ........................... 22 A Microanalytlc Approach to the Study of Social Change ........................... 25 The Diffusion Literature .................... 26 The Attributes of the Adopting U n i t .......... 27 Sociodemographics ...................... 29 Life S t y l e ............................... 30 Consumer Creativity .................... 34 Interpersonal Communication . .•........ 37 Media Use ............................... 39 Product Use ............................. 41 The Attributes of the Innovation ............ 43 Innovation Attribute Categories ........ 44 The Perceptions of an I n n o v a t i o n ........ 47 Perceived R i s k ........................... 53 A Brief Summary ..............................