The Effects of Culture in Website Format Preference: The Role of Collectivism in Perceptions of Technology

• In Event: The Power of Culture: Differences Across Countries and Similarities Over Time in Internet Practices and Perceptions

Abstract

The higher frequency of discussion forums in website design of collectivist cultures has attributed findings to the higher group orientation and affiliation of collectivist cultures. However, empirical evidence to test the actual preference of users is lacking. In this paper, we test this hypothesis through an online experiment comparing three websites: two discussion forums featuring responses either by other users or by the site administrator, and a frequently asked question site that served as a control condition. Our findings indicate collectivism does not moderate the relationship between website format and user preference. We also found evidence of a main effect of website format where users prefer peer-to-peer sharing on discussion forums over expert opinion. Nevertheless, users still prefer a more traditional website for information acquisition.

Authors

• Maria Dolores Molina Davila, The Penn State University

• Michael Schmierbach, Pennsylvania State U