The effects of cognitive style and model type on decision support system acceptance: An empirical study

When people design a complicated rational model for DSS, no matter how precise, it may not be accepted by users, especially by intuitive-style and feeling-style people. This study presents a path analytic model of people's willingness to use different computerized models from the perspectives of individual's cognitive styles, beliefs and attitudes. After surveying 108 senior MIS students, this study generally contends that computerized models with GUI interface are easy to use, but the willingness to use those models in the future is not universal. The relationships between cognitive styles and DSS acceptance vary across the types of models such as the fuzzy weighted-sum model, Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, or the linear weighted-sum model. Overall, the path analysis reveals that the willingness to use computerized models appears to rely heavily on preferences and perceived usefulness. Notably, the perceived ease of using computerized models has no direct effect on either preference or willingness. However, removing barriers that would allow people to believe that using DSS is easy would have direct effect on its perceived usefulness and subsequent indirect effects on people's preferences and willingness to use DSS.