Business Faculty Publications

Cosmopoliteness in the Internet Age

Leo W. Jeffres, Cleveland State University
David J. Atkin
Cheryl C. Bracken, Cleveland State University
Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Cleveland State University

Abstract

The concept of cosmopoliteness previously has been associated with the diffusion of innovations. Previous research suggests that cosmopolites are earlier adopters of innovations (e.g., new media technologies) and that they use more diverse media sources. This paper details the history of the concept and identifies eight dimensions. Two surveys were employed to investigate the relationship between the concept of cosmopoliteness and new media technology usage. The results indicate that most Internet use behaviors are positively associated with cosmopoliteness. However, this pattern was not found for other media applications such as e-mail and watching DVDs. Implications of study findings are discussed.