User Attitude Towards Instant Messaging: The Effect of Espoused National Cultural Values on Awareness and Privacy

This paper investigates how user perceptions of privacy and awareness mediate the relationship between espoused national cultural values and attitude towards using Instant Messaging (IM). We present a conceptual model to explain the relationships between (1) espoused national cultural values and user perceptions of privacy and (2) espoused national cultural values and user perceptions of awareness, and (3) how these user perceptions affect attitude towards using IM. Hypotheses were tested using an online survey instrument and data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling. We found that users' attitude towards using IM was positively affected by their perceptions of personal privacy and awareness, which were in turn positively impacted by the espoused cultural value dimensions of uncertainty avoidance.