Negative Bias and Risk Perception in Modern Tech Adoption: The Impact on People with Disabilities in Consumer Behavior

In recent years, technology has assumed a pivotal role in bolstering people with disabilities (PwDs) empowerment and autonomy. Despite the manifold advantages that new technologies afford to PwDs in their daily lives, the precise psychological barrier that negativity biases may impose, distorting perceptions of new technology adoption, remains opaque. This disparity becomes even more pronounced when considering various disabilities, each necessitating individualized interventions, including those facilitated by technology. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the role of negativity biases in shaping PwDs’ new technologies adoption decisions through a synthesis of cognitive psychology theories, namely valence theory and two-factor theory, and with innovation adoption frameworks, including the evolution of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM3) and innovation resistance theory. To achieve this, a conceptual model from a preceding study, which explicates the distinct impact of negativity biases on PwDs’ adoption of technology through a serial chain of consumers’ risk perceptions and confidence in the technology, is adapted into an enabling version and subsequently tested. This purpose is anchored in a conceptual model built upon two distinct studies. Study 1 seeks to delineate the primary impact of the negativity biases affecting technology acceptance among PwDs. Then, Study 2 aims to substantiate the findings of study 1 by examining the sequential relationship between PwDs’ perceptions of risk and their subsequent trust in modern technology. The data analysis for both studies adopted a quantitative methodology, utilizing the structural