The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between computer experience and selected demographic variables to knowledge about computers; knowledge of computers, experience with computers and selected demographic variables and attitudes towards computers to perceived computer helplessness. The study utilized two samples. Questionnaires were hand delivered to 68 out of 81 students enrolled in recreation classes at North Texas State University and questionnaires were sent to 130 Dallas Park and Recreation professionals via their inter-department mail (115 surveys returned). The data analysis indicated that the knowledge, attitude, and helplessness scales were highly reliable. Regression analysis indicated that knowledge, experience, attitudes, sex, age, and occupation were significant predictors of helplessness.

A group of 125 female college students were given Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory and Bem's Sex Role Inventory. Those females with minimal typing skills and minimal computer experience interacted with a computer ten minutes and then given a second State Anxiety Inventory. Pretest and posttest data were obtained from forty-eight subjects selected on the basis of Bem's Sex Role Inventory to test the hypotheses: females that score high on the Androgynous scale of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) will experience relatively low levels of anxiety while interacting with computer, females that score high on the Feminine and Undifferentiated scales of BSRI will experience relatively high levels of anxiety while interacting with a computer, and females that score high Masculine on the BSRI will experience relatively intermediate levels of anxiety. Androgynous females will produce high performance scores on the computer typing task while Feminine or Undifferentiated subjects will have the lowest performance scores. No significant differences among the four groups were found F(3,44)=2.14, p > .05 for anxiety change. No significant differences were found for performance scores among the four groups F(3,44)=.773, p > .05. Implications for alternative predictors of anxiety are discussed.

Lee Wing-Sze Wincy. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-47). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.2 / ACKNOWLEDEGEMENT --- p.4 / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.5 / INTRODUCTION OF RESEARCH TOPIC --- p.7 / THEORETICAL OVERVIEW --- p.9 / To be or not to be: Cognitive appraisal of stressful event --- p.9 / Psychological Vulnerability: Attitude towards using computer and computer anxiety --- p.13 / Burnout as the manifestation of occupational strain --- p.15 / Social Support --- p.17 / "The consequences of ""burning out"": Intention to Leave" --- p.19 / PRESENT INVESTIGATION --- p.19 / Confirmatory Analysis --- p.19 / Model specification and model testing --- p.20 / METHOD --- p.22 / Sample --- p.22 / Measurement of theoretical constructs --- p.23 / Pilot Study --- p.26 / RESULTS --- p.27 / Item level confirmatory analysis --- p.27 / Testing of measurement model --- p.30 / Evaluating the structural model --- p.32 / DISCUSSION --- p.34 / Implication of findings --- p.34 / Limitations and future studies --- p.37 / REFERENCES --- p.40 / APPENDIX A --- p.49 / APPENDIX B --- p.50 / APPENDIX C --- p.51 / TABLE 1 TO TABLE4 --- p.58 / FIGURE CAPTION --- p.61 / FIGURE1 --- p.62 / FIGURE2 --- p.63