The Finnish Version of the Affinity for Technology Interaction (ATI) Scale : Psychometric Properties and an Examination of Gender Differences

Abstract

The pervasiveness of technical systems in our lives calls for a broad understanding of the interaction between humans and technology. Affinity for technology interaction (ATI) scale measures the tendency of a person to actively engage or to avoid interaction with technological systems, including both software and physical devices. This research presents a psychometric analysis of a Finnish version of the ATI scale. The data consisted of 796 responses of students in a Finnish university. The data were analyzed utilizing factor analysis and both nonparametric and parametric item response theory. The Finnish version of the ATI scale proved to be essentially unidimensional, showing high reliability estimates, and forming a strong Mokken scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that men had a slightly higher affinity for technology than women when controlling for age and field of study; however the effect size was small.