| Technophobia has been an enduring problem in industrial economies over the last 20 years. Though explanatory models have been proposed to explain the prevalence of technophobia, these efforts have been diffuse, contradictory, and lacking in integration and explanatory and predictive utility. Specifically, the role of molar personality dimensions has not been investigated in detail in the existing literature. Secondly, psychometric issues in the measurement of technophobia have not been addressed. This particular issue, though endemic to research in other areas of social sciences as well, is worthy of exploration in the context of technophobia particularly in light of contradictory findings.; Against this background, the purpose of this study is three-fold: first, to investigate the role of personality, cognitive, and contextual variables in the explanation and prediction of technophobia; second, to examine the role of framing as a contextual variable; and third, to investigate the psychometric effects of scaling in the measurement of technophobia. Eight research hypotheses are developed to examine the role of: (i) personality variables proposed by the Big Five theory of personality, (ii) gender, (iii) contextual variable represented by framing, and (iv) cognitive variables such as math skills and intellectual orientation in the explanation of technophobia. In addition to a pilot study, data are gathered from 242 subjects at a private university in Western New York. The research hypotheses are tested using multiple regression, t-tests, and correlation analysis. Individual variables including extraversion, neuroticism, openness, cognitive orientation, math and logic skills are found to have significant correlations with Technophobia. Significant effects due to framing are observed, whereas gender is found to have no impact on Technophobia. Limitations, delimitations, and potential directions for future research are discussed. |
