Transcript
Web Site InteractivityWeb Site Interactivity &&
Gratifications Expectations among Users Gratifications Expectations among Users
Presented at the AoIR5 ConferencePresented at the AoIR5 ConferenceUniversity of Sussex, U.KUniversity of Sussex, U.K
2020 , ,September 2004September 2004
Yaron ArielYaron Ariel
University of HaifaUniversity of Haifa
Outline
• 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 studiesHuman centered approach
• Re-mentioned when new media developsElectronic Bulletin Board, Pager, Interactive TV, Cellular phone, ICQ
• New media & its various uses
• Enables comparisonTraditional Media Vs New Media
U&G Assumptions & Criticisms
• Individuals are active & rational playersUsing the media in order to obtain gratifications(Katz, Blumler & Gurevitch, 1974)
Main Criticisms: • Assumption of rationality
Or maybe Habitual, Ritual, Normative?
• Humanistic ApproachGoal oriented towards fulfillments and growth?
• Functionalism OrientedCategorization as status quo
• Introspective CapabilitiesCan they really tell us?
Expectations towards traditional media
Genres conventions
(Content, Style & Form)
Expectations towards
Web Sites
Functionalities
•
ExpectancyDifferentiate Sought & Obtained gratification
(Palmgreen & Rayburn, 1982)
Emphasizing ExpectancyTowards what?
Gratification Expectancy
A persons' belief that using a web site can fulfill specific voids in his/her life
Gratification Expectancy
Escapist Integrative CognitiveEmotional
Interactivity
• Various definitions of Interactivity
• Rafaeli’s Definitions of Interactivity (Rafaeli, 1988)characteristic of communication settings not the mediumemphasizing the interaction between usersConsidering 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 SampleExpectancy ----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
ThanksThanks
yariel@com.haifa.ac.il
Http://com.haifa.ac.il/~yariel
Yaron Ariel
University of Haifa
• References
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