Technophobia: The Psychological Impact Of Information Technology

Technophobia Technology is taking over all aspects of life. Education, work and leisure are all becoming increasingly dependent on being able to interact with technology. But what of the academic or career prospects of those who do not want to interact with this technology? Studies have shown that up to half of the population is ‘technophobic’, possessing negative opinions about, or having anxiety towards, information technology such as personal computers. This book examines the origins of technophobia—what it is, who has it and what causes it. The impact of gender upon computer-related attitudes and anxieties is examined, as it highlights the fact that many computing activities are stereotypically male. The social and cognitive psychological factors theorized to underlie technophobia are reviewed and combined into an overall psychological model of how affective states interact with cognitive functioning to affect performance on computer-based tasks. Techniques for reducing technophobia are discussed, and the effect of technophobia on everyone from school children to managers is analysed. Technophobia will be useful both for academic study of the area, and for those devising IT policy in schools, business and government. Mark J.Brosnan is Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Greenwich, and has published widely in the area. Technophobia The psychological impact of Information Technology Mark J.Brosnan London and New York First published 1998 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003. Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1998 Mark J.Brosnan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Brosnan, Mark J. Technophobia: the psychological impact of information technology /Mark J.Brosnan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Information technology—Social aspects. 2. Information technology—Psychological aspects. I. Title. HM221.B756 1998 303.48’33–dc21 97–39321 CIP ISBN 0-203-43670-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-74494-2 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0-415-13597-4 (Print Edition) ISBN 0-415-13596-6 (hbk) For Deborah Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Author’s note Prologue ix x xi xii Introduction 1 1 Technophobia: What is it? Does it exist? Who has it? 10 2 Technophobia and gender: Are computers ‘boys’ toys’? 37 3 Technophobia and self efficacy: Is technophobia indicat