The impact of computer anxiety and self‐efficacy upon performance

The relationship between computer anxiety and computer performance is examined using a self‐efficacy framework. A novel database searching task was demonstrated to 50 participants using two procedures (namely, accessing the data tables directly and constructing look‐up tables). Levels of computer anxiety, prior experience and perceptions of self‐efficacy were recorded. The results indicate that computer anxiety directly influences the number of correct responses obtained whilst self‐efficacy determines how the task is attempted. Less anxious subjects obtained more correct responses and subjects with higher perceptions of self‐efficacy used more look‐up tables. The results indicate that self‐efficacy theory can account for around half the variance in computer performance and that how a task is attempted should be assessed in addition to accuracy and speed of performance.