The Role of Attitude in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology: A Meta-analytic Structural Equation Modelling Study

The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model has been widely used to explain user intention and use behavior. Past research has added attitude to the UTAUT framework to examine further how it influences technology adoption. This study utilized a combined meta-analysis and structural equation modelling [approach] to examine how the model, when extended with attitude as a variable, differs from its original UTAUT model and whether there are emerging relationships among the existing constructs. Based on 21 empirical studies that included attitude in various extended models, the results showed that attitude was a significant predictor of behavioral intention and use behavior. The study also revealed that facilitating conditions emerged as the strongest predictor of use behavior in the presence of attitude as a construct. In conclusion, while the inclusion of attitude as a separate construct in the UTAUT model has provided a more comprehensive understanding of technology adoption and usage behavior, this study showed that it did not enhance its explanatory power.