Technology Adoption and Promotion in the Age of Skepticism: Examining COVID-19 Mitigation through Technological and Human Factors

Abstract Expanding the theoretical framework of technology adoption and promotion, this study examined multi-domain predictors of the intention to adopt COVID-19-related mobile technology: technological (user-friendliness and privacy concern), human (relational and cultural), and situational (problem recognition, involvement recognition, and constraint recognition about the pandemic itself). An online survey (N = 745) of residents in a Southern U.S. city was conducted and analyzed using hierarchical ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions. Results showed that technology adoption intention was negatively related to privacy concern and positively related to trust in government. However, neither user-friendliness nor the cultural values of conformity and self-direction played a significant role. While interdependent self-construal was positively related to adoption intention, independent self-construal was not a significant predictor. Regarding situational perceptions, problem recognition and constraint recognition significantly predicted adoption intention, whereas involvement recognition did not. Theoretically, the study advances technology promotion literature by identifying multiple domains of barriers. Practically, it provides implications for promoting mobile technology in public health crises.