An examination of gender differences in the determinants of computer anxiety and attitudes toward microcomputers among managers

Abstract

The study examined the determinants of computer anxiety and attitudes toward microcomputers among 166 managers employed in a variety of organizations. Results indicated that men and women in managerial positions do not differ in the level of computer anxiety reported, and are very similar in their attitudes toward microcomputers. However, gender differences were found in the pattern of relationships of demographic and personality variables with computer anxiety and microcomputer attitudes. For men, education and intuition-sensing were negatively related to computer anxiety, while age, external locus of control, and math anxiety were associated with heightened computer anxiety. In contrast, demographic and personality variables were unrelated to computer anxiety among women. Computer anxiety was the strongest predictor of attitudes toward microcomputers among both men and women. Among women, however, the feeling-thinking dimension of cognitive style, and math anxiety were additional determinants of microcomputer attitudes.