Patterns of home computer usage among college students: An exploratory study

Raquel Benbunan-Fich, Rachel F. Adler, Tamilla Mavlanova

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results of a study of home computer usage among college students. Using Activity Theory as the theoretical framework and a sample of self-reported usage logs, we analyze purposes and tasks of the subjects' computer sessions. We find that most participants mix hedonic with utilitarian computer uses during the same session and that they perform a number of unrelated computer-based tasks. We also identify a particular category of users, which we call social users because of their engagement with social networking sites and instant communications with their friends, who tend to perform more tasks than those who do not exhibit social behaviors in their computer sessions. The results of this study are informative and representative of the purposes and tasks for which college students use their computers at home.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication15th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2009, AMCIS 2009
Pages868-876
Number of pages9
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes
Event15th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2009, AMCIS 2009 - San Francisco, CA, United States
Duration: Aug 6 2009Aug 9 2009

Publication series

Name15th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2009, AMCIS 2009
Volume2

Other

Other15th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2009, AMCIS 2009
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco, CA
Period8/6/098/9/09

Keywords

  • Activity theory
  • Hedonic
  • Home computer usage
  • Multitasking
  • Social computing
  • Utilitarian

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Information Systems
  • Library and Information Sciences

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