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 t ask was demonstrated to 50 participants using two procedures (namely, accessing the data tables directly and constructing look-up tables). L evels of computer anxiety, prior experience and perceptions of self-ef ficacy were recorded. The results indicate that computer anxiety direc tly influences the number of correct responses obtained whilst self-ef ficacy determines how the task is attempted. Less anxious subjects obt ained more correct responses and subjects with higher perceptions of s elf-efficacy used more look-up tables. The results indicate that self- efficacy theory can account for around half the variance in computer p erformance and that how a task is attempted should be assessed in addi tion to accuracy and speed of performance.