University of Twente Student Theses
The Construction and Evaluation of a Questionnaire Measuring Geekism
Sander, N.D. (2013) The Construction and Evaluation of a Questionnaire Measuring Geekism.
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| Abstract: | Despite a dominant focus on utilitarian product-features, contemporary usability research acknowledges more subjective, hedonistic values as joy or aesthetics. However, individual differences in users are a rare discussed topic, especially when it comes to their needs and drives to use a product. Results of Schmettow, Noordzij, & Mundt (2013) indicate the existence of a user-group, who is extremely interested in technical systems and who likes to modify and play with technology, calling them geeks. Until now, geeks don’t profit from usability research as they are not so much interested in utilitarian or hedonistic product values. If geeks could be identified successfully, usability in software or hardware could be improved for these users. Based on a qualitative interview study of Florian Passlick (2013), in which he gave insights of the construct geekism, a questionnaire measuring geekism was constructed and evaluated. Although many items showed low discriminant power, test-retest reliability was high (.93) as well as Cronbachs alpha (.96). Construct validity was examined through correlational measures with a scale measuring Material-Posession-Love MPL, a scale measuring the Need for Cognition NCS and with an implicit PES-test geekism on one of its subscales. The convergent validity was evaluated as acceptable with a significant correlation between the PES and the geekism scale of (r.=0.53). Unexpectedly, the Geekism questionnaire correlated with the scale of material possession love (r =.48). The geekism-scale correlated expectedly moderate with an r.=.357 as the NFC is a similar construct but not the same. Overall, the geekism scale seems to measure geekism successfully, however, it needs to be optimized. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/64149 |
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