The relationship between personality and attitudes towards computers: an investigation among female undergraduate students in Israel

Abstract

The relationship between yersorialitg mid attitiides tow a rds co n i p t e rs : a ri invest iga t io TI among fe ma1 e uridergmduate students in Israel The Rtvd Profimor Lrslie J Francis is the D ] J(iiries Professor of Pirstoral Theologg mid Manse1 Jorirs Ftd1ouJ irt Trinitg College Carmartlien arid Univrrsity of Walrs Lainpeter. IValc~s. Dr I'aacoi? J Kat: is tlii~ Deputy Dirrctor. School qf Education mil Head of' Educatioriul Studies at Bar-llan Uniwrsity. Israel. The Relid Tliorticis Evans is Seriior Lrcturer. Dt>pcirtment of' Theology and Religions Studies at Trinity C'ollqju CarmLrrthcri. Addrrss for corresporideiic~c: Ltdie J Francis, Trinity Collegr, Carmarthen. Dgf'ed SA 3 1 3EP UK. Trl: +44 (01267 237972:fnx: +44 (0)2h/" 2?0Y33 AbstractThe relationships between computer-related attitudes and the Eysenckian personality dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism are explored among a sample of 298 female students in Israel. The data demonstrate that more positive attitudes towards computers are associated with higher scores on the psychoticism scale and lower scores on the extraversion scale. There is no significant relationship between attitudes towards computers and scores on the neuroticism scale

Personality Differences Between Online and Face-to-Face Students

“…The finding most consistent with the litera ture base is that online students are more introverted than those in traditional settings (Broughton, 1986;Francis, Katz, & Evans, 1996;Pocius, 1991;Pope, 1988). A differ ence in Extraversion was not found in the study of tele course and traditional students (Biner et al 1995).…”

“…When examining students' attitudes towards comput ers, researchers have found relationships between per sonality and attitudes (Anderson, 1987;Francis, Katz, & Evans, 1996;Garrett-Bullock 1997;Whitley 1996). InTh e journal of Continuing Higher Education • I 5 troverts tend to be more positive about using computers than extraverts.…”

Attitudes to computer‐assisted learning amongst business and management students

“…Ross and Schulz (1999, 21) argued that there is a need to critically evaluate this “ubiquitous tool which has permeated the classroom and homes more quickly than most other technologies have in the past”. Evaluations have taken various forms ranging from research projects examining the use of ‘best practice’ checklists for CAL designers (eg, Tergan, 1998) to experimental and cross‐sectional research which attempts to address the impact of individual differences in attitudes to, and performance on, CAL programmes (eg, Ring, 1991; Francis et al , 1996).…”

“…Some of this work has enabled the development of techniques for coping with the problems of validity and predictive power of software evaluation (Tergan, 1998) whilst others claim to have identified important differences in attitudes towards computers as teaching media in terms of individual variables such as gender and personality (Ring, 1991; Francis et al , 1996). On a more critical note Spencer (1991) bemoaned the lack of attention being paid to the findings of many years of research and argued that this is militating against the improvements in performance sought by educationalists and policy‐makers.…”