| Since the 16th century, the availability of communication technology has advanced the level and accessibility of commerce and personal freedoms. The advent of the computer as a personal communications tool and the Internet as a world-wide medium have given individuals new power in their ability to communicate, gain information, be entertained, and make decisions. The ways in which individuals choose to experience the Internet is a collection of their cognition, affection, and conation orientations; and, in turn, their consumption of the Internet provides the individual with cognitive, affective, and conative experiences.;This research has combined the components of experience---cognition, affection, and conation---into a comprehensive collection of Internet questionnaire items in order to create a psychometric scale instrument to measure Internet experience. Results from the questionnaire factor analyzed into the major facets of Internet behavior---exploration and involvement; motives of Internet use---hedonic (play), utilitarian (work), social, and shopping; as well as factors that are also important to the Internet users' willingness and ability to go online---technology acceptance and self-efficacy.;Additional analyses reveal the relationships between Internet experience factors and Internet activities, time and frequency measures, and demographic characteristics. By examining Internet experience in its entirety, the interaction of all constructs may be considered. These research findings provide a framework to allow for Internet experience to be examined for specific purposes, as well as broad applications.;By determining the types of experiences desired by different groups of Internet consumers, and the preferences associated with those types, we can gain knowledge of how best to accommodate individual differences in website design and content. Additionally, limitations within groups of users also provide valuable information for website applications.;For future research, the development of the Internet Experience Scale will provide a basis from which behavioral differences between Internet consumers may be evaluated. Subscales were also developed to evaluate the individual constructs underlying Internet experience. These subscales may be utilized to validate specific research, as well as measure particular aspects of Internet behavior. |
