Perceived versus actual computer-email-web fluency

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2007-09, Vol.23 (5), p.2321-2344
• Main Authors: Bunz, Ulla, Curry, Carey, Voon, William
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Computer anxiety; Computer-email-web (CEW) fluency; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gender and technology; Miscellaneous; Perception of technology skill; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2006.03.008

The purpose of this study was to compare people’s perception of their computer-email-web (CEW) fluency to their actual abilities performing related tasks. A total of 61 subjects (51% female, mean age 19) participated in the research sessions. Participants completed the CEW fluency scale [Bunz, U. (2004). The computer-email-web (CEW) fluency scale – Development and validation. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 17(4), 477–504.], the computer anxiety ratings scale [Heinssen, R. K., Glass, C. R., & Knight L. A. (1987). Assessing computer anxiety: Development and validation of the computer anxiety rating scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 3, 49–59.], and an applied protocol developed for this study. Results show that the less computer anxiety subjects reported, the higher they perceived their CEW fluency to be ( p = .001), but there was no significant relationship between computer anxiety and actual fluency ( p = .12). There was no gender difference as to actual CEW fluency ( p = .11), but women perceived their fluency lower than did men ( p = .012). Overall results validate the robustness of the CEW fluency scale, help identify CEW fluency as a digital divide component, and underscore the importance of initiatives to raise women’s technological self-confidence.