Are their attitudinal differences between online users and nonusers?
Internet users are becoming a lot more like the general population, but there are still some differences in both demographics and attitudes. The online population still tends to be younger, better educated, and have higher incomes. However, these differences are similar to those that would be found in a typical mall study. Studies have also shown that Internet users in general are more likely to be influencers, consumers of entertainment, brand buyers, and more friendly and enthusiastic toward technology than Internet nonusers As such, they frequently share their opinions with others, giving advice and influencing the purchase decisions of others. Thus, the subject of the research study needs to be carefully controlled before a decision is made to conduct the research online. Generally, these attitudinal and behavioral differences do not affect the validity of most online research projects, particularly if the subject of the research is a non-technology area. However, the fact that the
