Review of Behavioral Economics > Vol 8 > Issue 1

Opinions on Technology: A Cultural Divide between East Asia and Germany?

Marc Oliver Rieger, University of Trier, Germany, mrieger@uni-trier.de , Mei Wang, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany, mei.wang@whu.edu , Max Massloch, CAM alternatives, Germany, maxed@hotmail.de , Denis Reinhardt, Ferrero, Luxembourg, denis.reinhardt94@gmail.com
 
Suggested Citation
Marc Oliver Rieger, Mei Wang, Max Massloch and Denis Reinhardt (2021), "Opinions on Technology: A Cultural Divide between East Asia and Germany?", Review of Behavioral Economics: Vol. 8: No. 1, pp 73-110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/105.00000130

Publication Date: 14 Apr 2021
© 2021 M. O. Rieger, M. Wang, M. Massloch and D. Reinhardt
 
Subjects
Behavioral Economics
 
Keywords
JEL Codes: O30
Technology perceptionstate controlcultural differences
 

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In this article:
1. Introduction 
2. Technology Acceptance and Cultural Differences 
3. Methodology 
4. Analysis and Results 
5. Discussion 
6. Conclusion 
A. Survey Items 
References 

Abstract

We measure attitudes towards technology and government control of technologies in Germany and several countries in East Asia. The results show that technologies are least accepted in Germany, much less than in all East Asian countries. This is the case for every technology under consideration. Surprisingly, the main difference can neither be explained by perceived benefits and risks of the technologies nor by media climate. Therefore fundamental cultural differences (that surprisingly interact with gender differences) seem to be the most likely explanation. Regarding support for government control, we find no significant differences within the democratic states in our study, but much stronger support in the two non-democratic states (China and Vietnam).

DOI:10.1561/105.00000130