Editing Technophobia (section)

{{short description|Fear or discomfort with advanced technology}}
[[File:MacBook With Technophobia Page.jpg|thumb|240x240px|Computers, among many other technologies, are feared by technophobes.]]
'''Technophobia''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] τέχνη ''technē'', "art, skill, craft"<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dte%2Fxnh τέχνη], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> and φόβος ''phobos'', "fear"<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dfo%2Fbos φόβος], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref>), also known as '''technofear''', is the fear or dislike of, or discomfort with, advanced [[technology]] or complex devices, especially [[personal computers]], [[smartphones]], and [[tablet computers]].<ref name="dic defs">{{cite web
|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/technophobia
|access-date=2008-07-29|title=Definition of "Technophobia"
|publisher = Dictionary.reference.com
|quote=<br />{{nbsp|3}}(1) tech·no·pho·bi·a (těk'nə-fō'bē-ə) n. '''Fear of or aversion to technology, especially computers and high technology.''' -Related forms: tech'no·phobe' n., tech'no·pho'bic (-fō'bĭk) adj."— (American Heritage Dictionary)<br /> {{nbsp|3}}(2) "tech·no·pho·bi·a {{IPAc-en|ˌ|t|ɛ|k|n|ə|ˈ|f|oʊ|b|i|ə}} - Show Spelled Pronunciation [tek-nuh-foh-bee-uh] –noun '''abnormal fear of or anxiety about the effects of advanced technology.''' [Origin: 1960–65; techno- + -phobia] —Related forms: tech·no·phobe, noun – (Dictionary.com unabridged (v1.1) based on the Random House unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.)}}</ref> Although there are numerous interpretations of technophobia, they become more complex as technology continues to evolve. The term is generally used in the sense of an irrational fear, but others contend fears are justified. It is the opposite of [[technophilia]].

Larry Rosen, a [[research psychologist]], computer educator, and professor at [[California State University, Dominguez Hills]], suggests that there are three dominant subcategories of technophobes – the "uncomfortable users", the "cognitive computerphobes", and "anxious computerphobes".<ref name="Technophobia Journal">Gilbert, David, Liz Lee-Kelley, and Maya Barton. "Technophobia, gender influences and consumer decision-making for technology-related products." European Journal of Innovation Management 6.4 (2003): pp. 253–263. Print.</ref> First receiving widespread notice during the [[Industrial Revolution]], technophobia has been observed to affect various societies and communities throughout the world. This has caused some groups to take stances against some modern technological developments in order to preserve their ideologies. In some of these cases, the new technologies conflict with established beliefs, such as the personal values of simplicity and modest lifestyles.

Examples of technophobic ideas can be found in multiple forms of art, ranging from literary works such as ''[[Frankenstein]]'' to films like ''[[The Terminator]]''. Many of these works portray a darker side to technology, as perceived by those who are technophobic. As technologies become increasingly complex and difficult to understand, people are more likely to harbor anxieties relating to their use of modern technologies.