Abstract
The utilisation of innovative technology beyond its initial trial is an underresearched area. The current research on technology acceptance provides little insight into the behaviour of users after the performance of innovative technology falls short of initial expectations. However, it is important to understand the consequences of negative disconfirmation in order to explore the predictors of user satisfaction with technology and the decision to purchase technology. Given the gaps in the literature, this study adopted the Cognitive Dissonance Theory perspective in order to 1) examine the effect that the disconfirmation has on the arousal of psychological discomfort, 2) explore whether psychological discomfort triggers behavioural coping mechanisms, and 3) examine how coping mechanisms correlate with user satisfaction with technology performance and decisions. To test the research model, 474 former and current users of smart homes were employed to participate in the online survey. The results of the study confirmed that the disconfirmation of initial expectations induces psychological discomfort, which in turn translates into two behaviour coping mechanisms. To cope with psychological discomfort, users withdraw the behaviour causing psychological discomfort and seek consonant information to reaffirm the decision to purchase the technology. In addition, the study found that satisfaction with the technology performance and the decision is determined by the positive effect of the consonant information seeking, but not the behaviour change. The results contribute to the technology acceptance literature by providing evidence about the behaviour of users when technology performance does not meet expectations.
Recommended Citation
Marikyan, Davit; Papagiannidis, Savvas; and Alamanos, Eleftherios, "When Technology Does Not Meet Expectations: A Cognitive Dissonance Perspective" (2020). UK Academy for Information Systems Conference Proceedings 2020. 15.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ukais2020/15