Technological experience and technophobia in South African university students

Abstract

In an earlier study co-ordinated by Weil and Rosen, university students in 23 countries were surveyed in order to compare their levels of technological sophistication and technophobia. The countries sampled did not include South Africa and little is known about levels of technophobia in this country. The author replicated Weil and Rosen's study at a South African university in order to position South Africa relative to the 23 previously-studied countries. The South African sample showed higher levels of technological experience than expected, but also higher levels of technophobia, in particular, high levels of computer anxiety.