Why College Students Prefer Typing Over Speech Input: The Dual Perspective

With the development of technology, the accuracy of speech input has vastly improved and the speed of speech input has surpassed that of typing. However, college students still refuse to switch to speech input as their primary compositional tool. To better understanding this phenomenon, this study investigates the preferences of 593 college students using PLS-SEM for structural model analysis. On the basis of innovation resistance theory (IRT) and technology acceptance model (TAM), this study explores the preference of college students for keyboard typing over speech input for document processing. Results showed that functional barriers (i.e., usage, value, and risk barriers) and psychological barriers (i.e., tradition and image barriers) positively affect users' resistance to change. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence the intention to adopt speech input, which is consistent with TAM. Resistance to change was proven to negatively affect users' intention to adopt speech input. Academically, results confirm that although barriers to speech input currently exist, users still consider speech input as easy and useful and plan to adopt the technology. In practice, speech recognition system companies can significantly enhance users' adoption intentions by reducing barriers and increasing their perception of ease of use and usefulness of speech input.