Investigating consumers’ continued use of technology: A longitudinal study

Research on technology adoption has grown significantly, yet post-adoption behaviours, such as the continued use of information technology (IT), remain underexplored. This thesis adopts a longitudinal approach to investigate the dynamics of consumer intentions and technology use over time, focusing on wearable fitness technology (WFT). WFT plays a pivotal role in daily life, offering features that support health and encourage physical activity. Despite these advantages, studies highlight a high abandonment rate of WFTs after a few months (Talukder et al., 2019), limiting long-term health benefits (Canhoto and Arp, 2017). In addition, personality traits (PTs) are shown to have a significant influence on attitudes and intentions towards continued technology use (Rupp et al., 2018; Attig and Franke, 2019), yet their role in sustained engagement remains underexamined. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), PT theory, and technology adoption literature, this study develops a conceptual framework to address key gaps. It explores (1) how continued use behaviour (CUB) evolves over time and the predictors shaping continued use intention (CUI); (2) the drivers of continued WFT use by examining how CUI influences CUB; and (3) the role of PTs in moderating the CUI–CUB relationship. This study employs a quantitative, longitudinal survey methodology, incorporating measures from UTAUT2, PT models, and a new construct, Technology Upgradability, to investigate factors influencing CUB. Structural equation modelling was conducted using IBM SPSS, AMOS, and SmartPLS. Findings from two datasets reveal the increasing impact of CUI on CUB, confirming the dynamic nature of predictors. Some predictors remain consistently significant; others gain importance or remain insignificant over time. PTs also exhibit temporal influences, with certain traits strengthening or weakening the CUI–CUB relationship across datasets. This research study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors that impact IT use continuity. The results, which derive implications for both practitioners and researchers, provide valuable guidance for developing consumer-centred technologies that promote continued use.