The Top 10 Beliefs about Technology

Technology plays an important role in our personal and professional lives, contributing to our well-being and success but also serving as a source of frustration and anxiety. To those who market or work with technology and those who study its role in society, the question arises as to what people really think of it. Illuminas has been tracking technology beliefs for decades through the National Technology Readiness Survey, a representative survey of U.S. adults age 18 and older. We monitor positive and negative beliefs on factors that are proven to influence adoption, usage, and satisfaction with cutting-edge technology. Below are the Top 10 beliefs where there is the greatest consensus among the population in 2024. Since these vary by groups, we identify some of the groups that have higher agreement than the general population.*

TOP 10 BELIEFS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY

1. Technology keeps me better informed (80% strongly or somewhat agree) – agreement is higher among those with some college or a college degree and a household income of $100K or higher
   
   
2. Technology makes me more productive in my personal life (69% agreement) – agreement is higher among men, people 35 to 54 years of age, with a bachelor’s degree and household income of $50K or higher
   
   
3. People are too dependent on technology to do things for them (68% agreement) – the belief level is consistent across demographic groups
   
   
4. Technology gives me more freedom of mobility (67% agreement) –  agreement is higher among those 35 to 54 years of age, with a bachelor’s degree and household income of $50K or higher 
   
   
5. New technologies contribute to a better quality of life (66% agreement) – agreement is higher among men, those 35 to 54 years of age, with a bachelor’s degree, and household income of $50K or higher  
   
   
6. Technology gives people more control over their daily lives (65% agreement) – agreement is higher among men, those under age 55, with a bachelor’s degree and household income of $50K or higher
   
   
7. (Tie) I can usually figure out high-tech products and services without help from others (63% agreement) – agreement is higher among men, those under age 55, with bachelors degrees, and household income of $50K or higher
   
   
8. (Tie) I wish new high-tech products and services were simpler to use (63% agreement) – agreement is higher among people age 55 or older
   
   
9. (Tie) Reliance on technology lowers the ability of people to think on their own (63% agreement) – agreement is higher among people age 55 or older and without a 4-year college degree
   
   
10. Technology lowers the quality of personal relationships by reducing personal interaction (62% agreement) – agreement is higher among people age 55 or older
     

Americans are positive about technology. Consensus is greater that technology has benefits, although consumers perceive drawbacks at the same time as they see advantages. Technology tends to be viewed more positively among males, younger people, and those with higher levels of education and higher incomes. 

*These questions are copyrighted by Illuminas and A. Parasuraman (2024) and require written permission to use.
 

About the Study

The National Technology Readiness Survey™ has tracked technology and e-commerce trends since 1999. The survey is co-sponsored by Illuminas and the Responsible Business Center at the Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University. The most recent wave was conducted in February 2024 and is based on an online survey of 1,046 U.S. adults sampled at random from a consumer research panel. Results are weighted to match census characteristics. 

Check out this case study to see how one of our clients used the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) to better understand the Electric Vehicle (EV) market.