Family Contributions to Adolescents' Attitudes toward New Technology

Abstract

In the first study presented in this article, 852 adolescents rated their favorableness toward new technology. When there were significant differences, males, and older adolescents tended to be more favorable toward technological issues than females or younger adolescents. In the second study, 158 mothers of adolescents from the first study said whether they had made efforts to help their adolescents develop technical skills. Adolescents' attitudes toward technology were sensitive to mothers' education and whether or not mothers helped their adolescents to develop technological skills. Mothers helping made a difference in youths whose mothers had less education; those youths whose mothers helped showed a more favorable attitude than those whose mothers did not help. Adolescents whose mothers had a college education were favorable toward technology whether or not their mothers helped. Results support the emerging view that family factors are central to adolescents'career development.