Análise de aceitação e intenção de uso de redes sociais acadêmicas pela comunidade científica brasileira

Abstract

Digital technologies in general and social media in particular are continually transforming research practices, working conditions and the professional identity of researchers through digital and networked scientific communication practices. In this scenario of communication and scientific production, academic social networks emerge as a space designed to be used specifically by the intellectual, academic and research public. These networks are international, global, and their registered users are counted in the millions. Given this context, this thesis aimed to analyze, through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the acceptance and intention to use academic social networks from the perspective of the Brazilian scientific community. This thesis is configured as a descriptive and exploratory study, under the support of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches. The questionnaire used as a data collection instrument was open to responses for 47 consecutive days and reached 1,172 responses. The analysis of the collected data showed that the use of academic social networks can help the academic public to obtain performance gains in their studies, scientific research and/or work and that there are, in fact, benefits to scientific communication and the workflow of the researcher. Academic social networks were considered easy to use and their members tend, in general, to perform the actions they want. It was also evidenced that the social influence regarding the use of academic social networks seems to be timid, indicating that their use happens naturally, regardless of pressure or imposition from peers or other interest groups of which their members are part. Additionally, the analysis and altmetrics resources seem to represent, in some way, a relevant index with regard to the reputation of a researcher user of academic social networks. In general, it was concluded that academic social networks have reached a relevant degree of acceptance and that their users try to continue using them to conduct their studies, scientific research and/or work. In addition, the model proposed in this thesis can be used – in its entirety or just as a guide – to explore and assess the acceptance and intention to use social networks by researchers, teachers and students in other settings and in different populations.