Influence of Personal Characteristics and Motivation Factors on Internet Use

Abstract

This study examined the influence of personal characteristics such as age, gender, level of study, years of experience using the internet, internet self-efficacy, as well as motivation factors, which are perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, perceived innovativeness in IT, and perceived usefulness on internet use among 404 purposively selected postgraduate students' in three selected universities in South-Western Nigeria: University of Ibadan, Ibadan; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; and Bowen University, Iwo. The result showed that some personal characteristics which are age, years of experience using the internet, and internet self-efficacy have significant relationships with internet use among postgraduate students in the selected universities. Furthermore, personal innovativeness in IT of postgraduate students significantly influenced their internet use in the selected universities. The result revealed there was a significant influence of both personal characteristic and motivation factors on Internet use in the selected universities.