Transcript Ariel_AIR5 - University of Haifa

Web Site Interactivity
&
Gratifications Expectations among Users
Presented at the AoIR5 Conference
University of Sussex, U.K
20, September 2004
Yaron Ariel
University of Haifa
Outline
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Uses and Gratifications a relevancy approach
U&G basic assumptions & criticisms
Defining Gratification Expectancy
Interactivity
Web sites’ Interactivity
Expectations towards Web sites’ interactivity
Some research evidence
Some implications
Uses and Gratifications - Relevancy
• Dominant in Users/Audience studies
Human centered approach
• Re-mentioned when new media develops
 Electronic Bulletin Board, Pager, Interactive TV, Cellular phone, ICQ
• New media & its various uses
• Enables comparison
Traditional Media Vs New Media
U&G Assumptions & Criticisms
• Individuals are active & rational players
Using the media in order to obtain gratifications
(Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch, 1974)
Main Criticisms:
• Assumption of rationality
 Or maybe Habitual, Ritual, Normative?
• Humanistic Approach
 Goal oriented towards fulfillments and growth?
• Functionalism Oriented
 Categorization as status quo
• Introspective Capabilities
 Can they really tell us?
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Expectancy
Differentiate Sought & Obtained gratification
(Palmgreen & Rayburn, 1982)
Emphasizing Expectancy
Towards what?
Expectations towards
traditional media
Expectations towards
Web Sites
Genres conventions
(Content, Style & Form)
Functionalities
Gratification Expectancy
A persons' belief that using a web site can
fulfill specific voids in his/her life
Gratification Expectancy
Escapist
Emotional
Integrative
Cognitive
Interactivity
• Various definitions of Interactivity
• Rafaeli’s Definitions of Interactivity (Rafaeli, 1988)
 characteristic of communication settings not the medium
 emphasizing the interaction between users
 Considering levels of interactivity
Interactivity A functionality that facilitates users' expectations?
Defining Web sites interactivity
Interactivity operationalized
Three identical news-portal ‘look-alike’ web-sites
Except Declarative Interactivity
No feature of message transmission.
Reactive Interactivity
Includes an Electronic Forum within.
Full Interactivity
Includes a Synchronic chat.
Hypothesis
Does & to what extent the interactivity that Web Sites enabled
their users is relating to their expectations gratifications?
H1 Positive correlation between the level of Web Sites'
interactivity & the level of EG’s
H2 Significant difference between users' experience
level within their level of EG’s along levels of
interactivity.
H3 Positive correlation between any individual EG to
others.
[Variables: Socio-Demographic, Usages characteristics & attitude towards internet]
Research Design
• Sample of 464 participants
• Non representative
• Personal codes with web address
• Web questionnaire
• Simulation
• Example of a web site
• Likert scale statements
• Semantic differential
Results
• High gratifications expectations in all three sites
• High to low expectancy:
Cognitive, Integrative, Escapist & Emotional
• Advanced users Vs Whole Sample
Expectancy ----Web experience
• Gratifications Expectancies are highly correlated
More Results
• Women have higher GE’s as compared to men
• Income, Martial status, Education -no impact
• General positive attitude toward the Internet
Higher gratification expectancy
[Using logistic regression]
Discussions & Implications
• Examine Subjective expectations & perception of
gratifications.
• Study Medium functionalities - rather than studying
its conventions
• Web user's usages relate characteristics -rather than
other personal factors
Expectations gratifications are in the beholders eyes
Thanks
[email protected]
Http://com.haifa.ac.il/~yariel
Yaron Ariel
University of Haifa
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