A Generational Comparison of Gender, Computer Anxiety, and Computer-Email-Web Fluency

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate people's ability to use a computer, email, and the web. Subjects fell into one of two distinct age groups, College students or seniors. Within each age group, the study also examined gender, age, and computer anxiety. Additionally, the manuscript argues for the use of the knowledge-gap hypothesis in digital divide research. A total of 261 (N, overall 74% female) participated in the study, 181 of them College students and 80 of them senior citizens. Subjects completed items on CEW fluency, computer anxiety, and demographic questions. Results show that younger people generally experience less computer anxiety than older participants. Younger women experience more computer anxiety than younger men, but there was no significant difference for gender and anxiety among the older participants. Also, younger participants perceived their CEW fluency higher than did seniors. The manuscript discusses implications of these results for educational, marketing, and policy campaigns and provides suggestions for future research.