Computer anxiety: Comparison of research from the 1990s and 2000s

As computers became ubiquitous in businesses, homes, and schools, there was increasing concern about computer anxiety and its effect on individuals. The first academic articles on computer anxiety were published in the early 1980s. Since that time, hundreds of papers have been published on the topic. Yet, up to this time, no one has done a comprehensive review of computer anxiety. In this article, 276 articles on computer anxiety are reviewed. From a synthesis of the articles and variables studied to date, a framework is developed that outlines the primary topics studied in computer anxiety literature. Nine antecedents, five correlates, and two outcomes of computer anxiety are identified as the most studied variables in the literature. In addition, a statistical comparison is done to compare the distribution of computer anxiety topics and results published in the 1990s to those published in the 2000s. Suggestions for future research in computer anxiety are proposed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.