Supplementary data for the paper 'Acceptance of conditionally automated cars: Just one factor?'

Recent research suggests the existence of a general acceptance factor (GAF), similar to the “big one” in personality research or the general intelligence factor (<em>g</em>). The current study, written in the form of a short commentary, sought empirical support for the GAF by using data from a large multinational questionnaire of the L3Pilot project on the acceptance of conditionally automated cars (CACs). Our analysis provides clear support for a GAF of CACs, as this factor explained 55% of the variance among the questionnaire items. Criterion validity was established by demonstrating an inverted U-curve between GAF scores and respondents’ ages in 17 countries. It is recommended that researchers concerned with technology acceptance consider whether their acceptance constructs are sufficiently unique or merely part of a positive manifold.

近期研究表明，存在通用接受度因子（General Acceptance Factor，GAF），其与人格研究领域的“大因素”，或是一般智力因子（general intelligence factor, g）类似。本研究以短篇评论的形式开展，借助L3Pilot项目中一项针对有条件自动驾驶汽车（conditionally automated cars, CACs）接受度的大型跨国问卷数据，为GAF寻求实证支持。分析结果为有条件自动驾驶汽车的GAF提供了明确支撑：该因子解释了问卷题项中55%的方差。通过验证17个国家中GAF得分与受访者年龄间存在倒U型曲线关系，本研究确立了其效标效度。建议关注技术接受度研究的学者思考：其研究中的接受度构念是否具备足够独特性，抑或仅属于正流形（positive manifold）的组成部分。