Effects of qualitative differences in initial and subsequent computer experience on computer anxiety

Abstract

Levels of computer anxiety (CA) and quality of initial computer experience were obtained for a sample of 154 first year psychology students. They also responded to questions about the frequency and intensity of good and bad subsequent computer experiences, and the dimensions along which they varied (relaxed/tense and feeling in control/feeling incompetent). Results indicated that effects of good early and later experiences were additive. There was, however, an inoculation effect of good early experience, providing some protection against effects of frequent bad later experiences, but this effect diminished when at least one of the later bad experiences was of high intensity. There was recovery from initial bad experiences when these were followed by frequent and high intensity later good experiences. The effect of variations in the quality of later experience on CA was greater for the “feeling in control/feeling incompetent” dimension than for the “relaxed/tense” dimension. Implications for the provision of computing experience for first year university students are discussed.