Computer Use, Computer Attitudes, and Gender

This study examines relationships between four dimensions of attitudes towards computers and amount of computer use, based on a survey of 127 university students from several different majors. The analysis focused on the extent to which microcomputer and mainframe usage have different implications for attitudes in the context of gender differences, and whether or not students need to use computers in their classes. Complex and multidimensional relationships were found, particularly in terms of students’ perceptions of computers’ educational benefits. For microcomputers, attitudes, amount of use, and class need to use computers all appear to make independent contributions to each other, while for mainframe usage, an asymmetrical composite model was proposed to explain reciprocal interactions among the variables. Also, females tend to be more concerned about the social impacts of computers, regardless of amount or type of computer used.