The mediating role of trust in digital technology in the effect of technological stress factors on the intention to use digital technology: The moderating role of social norms

Adem DİNDORUK, The Mediating Role of Trust in Digital Technology in the Effect of Technological Stress Factors on the Intention to Use Digital Technology: The Moderating Role of Social Norms, Başkent University, Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Business Administration, Master's Thesis, 2025 This study investigates the impact of technological stress factors on individuals' intention to use digital technologies, focusing on the mediating role of trust in digital technologies and the moderating role of social norms. To test the interactions between the variables in the proposed model, several hypotheses were developed and examined. The research employed a quantitative method, and data collection was conducted through the convenience sampling method. The population of the study consists of engineers, managers, and technical experts working in institutions operating in the defense industry and high-technology sectors in Turkey. Data were collected through surveys from 434 participants, and analyses were performed on this dataset. Using SPSS and AMOS software, confirmatory factor analyses, correlation, regression, mediation, and moderation analyses were conducted on the included variables. The findings revealed that technostress has a negative and significant effect on the intention to use digital technologies. In addition, trust in digital technologies was found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between technostress and technology use intention. Furthermore, social norms were identified as a moderating factor, strengthening individuals' positive attitudes toward technology use. These results highlight the importance of not only technological infrastructure but also psychosocial aspects of employees' experiences during digital transformation processes. It is expected that the findings of this research will shed light on the combined evaluation of technostress, trust, and social norms and fill an important gap in the literature. Furthermore, the study is anticipated to provide practical contributions by guiding managers and practitioners in developing institutional strategies that reinforce trust, enhance social interactions, and reduce stress factors in digital transformation contexts. Keywords: Technostress, Intention to Use Digital Technologies, Trust, Social Norms, Digital Transformation