Technological Innovation And Adopter Self-Construal

In this paper, we theorize that individuals who value independence and distinctiveness identify more with social identities as a result of adopting sustaining technological innovations. Conversely, individuals who value interdependence may become more independent as a result of adopting disruptive technological innovations. We argue that successive adoptions of technological innovation may expand and contract the breadth of adopters' collective identities. We discuss the implications of this conceptual paper and suggest avenues for future research at the nexus of technological innovation and cultural change.