The present study attempted to find the effects of trait and computer anxiety upon performance on paper-and-pencil and computer forms of verbal sections of the Graduate Record Examination. Scores for neuroticism, extraversion, computer anxiety, GRE via paper-and-pencil, and GRE via computer were collected for forty college undergraduates. Analyses revealed significant interactions for computer anxiety and extraversion with test mode. Contrary to the hypothesis, results found extraverts and those scoring low in computer anxiety obtained significantly lower scores on the computer version than their counterparts. Explanations for the findings and implications for future research are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
LukinM. E.DowdE. T.PlakeB. S., and KraftR. G., Comparing Computerized versus Traditional Psychological Assessment, Computers in Human Behavior, 1, pp. 49–58, 1985.
2.
LyonsJ. P. and BrownJ., Reduction in Clinical Assessment Time using Computer Algorithms, Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation, 13: 4, pp. 413–416, 1981.
3.
SanitiosoR. and ReynoldsJ. H., Comparability of Standard and Computerized Administration of Two Personality Questionnaires, Personality and Individual Differences, (in press), 1992.
4.
MorfM.AlexanderP., and FuerthT., Fully Automated Psychiatric Diagnosis: Some New Possibilities, Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation, 13: 4, pp. 413–416, 1981.
5.
ErdmanH. P.KleinM. H.JeffersonJ. W., and GettoC., The Computer Psychiatrist: How Far Have We Come? Where Are We Heading? How Far Dare We Go?, Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation, 13: 4, pp. 393–398, 1981.
6.
HoffmanK. I. and LundbergG. D., A Comparison of Computer-Monitored Group Tests with Paper-and-Pencil Tests, Educational & Psychological Measurement, 36, pp. 791–809, 1976.
7.
HedlJ. J.O'NeilH. F., and HansenD. H., Affective Reactions toward Computer-based Intelligence Testing, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 40, pp. 217–222, 1973.
8.
SacharJ. D. and FletcherJ. D., Administering Paper-and-Pencil Tests by Computer, or the Medium is Not Always the Message, in Proceedings of the 1977 Computerized Adaptive Testing Conference, WeissD. J. (ed.), pp. 403–419, 1978.
9.
LeeJ. A.MorenoK. E., and SympsonJ. B., The Effects of Mode of Test Administration on Test Performance, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 46, pp. 467–474, 1986.
10.
WiseS. L. and PlakeB. S., Computer-based Testing in Higher Education, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 23, pp. 3–9, April 1990.
11.
SchaefferG. A.ReeseC. M.SteffenM.McKinleyR. L., and MillsC. N., Field Test of a Computer-based GRE General Test, Educational Testing Series, Princeton, New Jersey, 1993.
12.
O'NeillK. and KubiakA., The Relationship between Student Background and Attitudes about Computerized Test of Basic Skills, paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Associations, Chicago, April 1991.
13.
BanksM. J. and HaviceM. J., Strategies for Dealing with Computer Anxiety: Two Case Studies, Educational Technology, pp. 22–25, January 1989.
14.
RosenL. D.SearsD. C., and WeilM. M., Session VII: Computerphobia, Behavior Research Methods, Instruments & Computers, 19: 2, pp. 167–179, 1987.
15.
JayT. J., Computerphobia: What to do about it. Educational Technology, pp. 47–48, January 1991.
16.
WeilM. M.RosenL. D., and SearsD. C., The Computerphobia Reduction Program: Year 1. Program Developments and Preliminary Results, Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 19: 2, pp. 180–184, 1987.
17.
KoohangA. A., A Study of the Attitudes of Pre-service Teachers Toward the Use of Computers, ECTJ, 35: 3, pp. 145–149, 1978.
18.
WardT. J.HooperS. R., and HannafinK. M., The Effect of Computerized Tests on the Performance and Attitudes of College Students, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 5: 3, pp. 327–333, 1989.
19.
WiseS. L.BarnesL.HarveyA., and PlakeB. S., Effects of Computer Anxiety and Experience on the Computer-based Achievement Test Performance of College Students, Applied Measurement in Education, 2: 3, pp. 235–241, 1989.
20.
LoydB. H. and GressardC., The Effects of Sex, Age, and Computer Experience on Computer Attitudes, AEDS Journal, 18: 2, pp. 67–77, 1984.
21.
PowersD. and O'NeillK., Inexperienced and Anxious Computer Users: Coping with a Computer-administered Test of Academic Skills, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, October 1992.
22.
EysenckH. J. and EysenckM. W., Personality and Individual Differences: A Natural Science Approach, Plenum Press, New York, 1985.
23.
MorrisL. W. and LiebertR. M., Relationships of Cognitive and Emotional Components of Test Anxiety to Psychological Arousal and Academic Performance, Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 35, pp. 332–337, 1970.
24.
WinerJ., Test Anxiety and Direction of Attention, Psychological Bulletin, 76, pp. 92–104, 1971.
25.
LiebertR. M. and MorrisL. W., Cognitive and Emotional Components of Test Anxiety: A Distinction and Some Initial Data, Psychological Reports, 20, pp. 975–978, 1967.
26.
LeeJ. A., The Effects of Past Computer Experience on Computerized Aptitude Test Performance, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 46, pp. 467–474, 1986.
27.
DoctorR. M. and KahnA. P., The Encyclopedia of Phobias, Fears, and Anxieties, Facts on File, New York, 1989.
28.
EysenckH. J. and EysenckS., Manual for the Eysenck Personality Inventory, Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, 1968.
29.
LoydB. H. and GressardC., Reliability and Factorial Validity of Computer Attitude Scales, Educational and Psychological Measurement, 44, pp. 501–505, 1984.
30.
GreenB. F.BockR. D.HumphreysL. G., and ReckaseM. D., Technical Guidelines for Assessing Computerized Adaptive Tests, Journal of Educational Measurement, 21: 4, pp. 347–360, 1984.
31.
HumphreysM. S. and RevelleW., Personality, Motivation, and Performance: A Theory of the Relationship between Individual Differences and Information Processing, Psychological Review, 91: 2, pp. 153–184, April 1984.
32.
YerkesR. M. and DodsonJ. D., The Relation of Strength of Stimulus to Rapidity of Habit-formation, Journal of Comparative and Neurological Psychology, 18, pp. 459–482, 1908.
