Using the principles of innovation of diffusions, this longitudinal study examines the gender differences in attitudes toward computerization at a liberal arts university. The data shows that women are more cautious in their interpretations of technological innovations. Indeed, women's and men's perceptions of compatibility and trialability differed the most over the longest time period. Specifically, men more than women perceived that the computerization effort, as an innovation, was more compatible and was able to be experimented with on a limited basis. Such findings elucidate the differences in attitudes found between men and women with respect to computer usage in general.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AlbrectT. L., & RoppV. (1984). Communicating about innovation in networks of three U.S. organizations. Journal of Communication, 34, 78–91.
2.
Al-JabriI. M., & Al-KhadiM. A. (1997). Effects of user characteristics on computer attitudes among undergraduate business students. Journal of End User Computing, 9, 16–22.
3.
ArenzB. W., & LeeM. J. (1990). Gender differences in the attitude, interest and participation of secondary students in computer use. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston, Massachusetts.
4.
BachB. W. (1989). The effect of multiplex relationships upon innovation adoption: A reconsideration of Rogers' model. Communication Monographs, 56, 133–150.
5.
BackerT. E.RogersE., & SoporyP. (1992). Designing health communication campaigns: What works?Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
6.
BeauvoisM. H. (1995). E-talk: Attitudes and motivation in computer-assisted classroom discussion. Computers and the Humanities, 28, 177–190.
ChenM. (1985). Gender and computers: The beneficial effects of experience on attitudes. Paper presented at the Conference on Computers & Children. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
9.
CambreM., & CookD. (1985). Computer anxiety: Definition, measurement, and correlates. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 1, 37–54.
10.
DambrotF. H.Watkins-MalekM. A.SillingS. M.MarshallR. S., & GarverJ. A. (1985). Correlates of sex differences in attitudes toward and involvement with computers. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 27, 71–86.
11.
DyckJ. L., & SmitherJ. A. (1994). Age differences in computer anxiety: The role of computer experience, gender, and education. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 10, 239–248.
12.
FaraceR. V.MongeP. R., & RussellH. (1977). Communicating and organizing. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
13.
FrancisL. J. (1993). Measuring attitude toward computers among undergraduate college students: The affective domain. Computers in Education, 20, 251–255.
14.
GanguliA. B. (1992). The effect on students' attitudes of the computer as a teaching aid. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 23, 611–618.
15.
GreenK.C. (1996). The coming ubiquity of information technology. Change, 28, 24.
16.
HackettE. J.MirvisP. H., & SalesA. L. (1991). Women's and men's expectations about the effects of new technology. Group & Organizational Management16, 60–85.
17.
HouleP. A. (1996). Toward understanding student differences in a computer skill course. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 14, 25–48.
18.
HuntN. P., & BohlinR. M. (1993). Teacher education students' attitudes toward using computers. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 25, 487–497.
19.
HunterJ. E., & GerbingD. W. (1982). Unidimensional measurement, second order factor analysis, and causal models. Research in Organizational Behavior, 4, 267–320.
20.
KayR. H. (1992). Understanding gender differences in computer attitudes, aptitude, and use: An invitation to build theory. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 25, 159–171.
21.
KoohangA. (1987). A study of the attitudes of pre-service teachers toward the use of computers. Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 35, 145–149.
22.
LevinT., & GordonC. (1989). Effect of gender and computer experience on attitudes toward computers. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 5, 69–88.
23.
MertonR. K. (1948/1982). The self-fulfilling prophecy. In MertonR. K. (Ed.), Social research and the practicing professions (pp. 248–267). Cambridge, MA: Abt Books.
24.
MitraA., & HullettC. R. (1997). Toward evaluating computer aided instruction: Attitudes, demographics, context. Education and Program Planning, 20, 379–391.
25.
MitraA., & StefensmeierT. (2000). Changes in student attitudes and student computer use in a computer enriched environment. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32: 3, 417–433.
26.
MonaghanE., & TodmanJ. (1994). Qualitative differences in computer experience, computer anxiety, and students' use of computers: A path model. Computers in Human Behavior, 10, 529–539.
27.
OblingerD. G., & RushS. C., (Eds.) (1997). The learning revolution: The challenge of information technology in the academy. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
28.
PaceyA. (1993). The culture of Technology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
29.
ParishT. S., & NecessaryJ. R. (1996). An examination of cognitive dissonance and computer attitudes. Education, 116, 565–566.
30.
RogersE., (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.
31.
RogersE. (1995). Diffusion of innovations (4th ed.). New York: Free Press.
32.
RosenL. D.SearsD. C., & WeilM. M. (1987). Computerphobia. Behavioral Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 19, 167–179.
33.
SacksC. H., & BellisimoY. (1993/1994). Attitudes toward computers and computer use: The issue of gender. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 26, 256–269.
34.
ScottC. R., & RockwellS. C. (1997). The effect of communication, writing, and technology apprehension on likelihood to use new communication technologies. Communication Education, 46, 44–62.
35.
ScottD. (1995). Computer anxiety: A longitudinal study and discourse analysis investigation. Irish Journal of Psychology, 16, 83–87.
36.
SmithS. D. (1987). Computer attitudes of teachers and students in relationship to gender and grade level. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 3, 479–494.
37.
TeoT. S. H., & LimV. K. G. (1996). Factors influencing personal computer usage: The gender gap. Women in Management Review, 11, 18–26.
38.
ThomasW. I., & ThomasD. S. (1928). The child in America. New York: Knopf.
39.
Von HolzenR. L., & PriceR. V. (1990). Five year trends in computer students' attitudes and skill-levels. Report of a study. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
40.
WaltersJ. E., & NecessaryJ. R. (1996). An attitudinal comparison toward computers between underclassmen and graduating seniors. Education, 116, 623–630.
41.
WoodrowJ. E. J. (1994). The development of computer-related attitudes of secondary students. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 11, 307–338.
