R anxiety refers to the psychological distress experienced when learning or using the R programming language, particularly among undergraduate students in statistics courses. This phenomenon is a specific manifestation of computer anxiety—a feeling of apprehension or dread when using computers that can cause physical symptoms such as increased heart rate or sweating. As R replaces point-and-click software like Minitab and SPSS in statistics education due to its flexibility and open-source nature, students face a steeper learning curve, which can trigger significant anxiety.
Research Findings
- Study population: First-year undergraduate students in Mathematics and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Strathclyde, surveyed during the 2021/22 academic year when RStudio was first introduced
- Initial anxiety: No association in software anxiety at the start of the class between the two cohorts
- Progressive divergence: As the class progressed, Mathematics students reported lower levels of anxiety compared to Biomedical Sciences students
- Enjoyment factor: Mathematics students seemed to enjoy the class more than Biomedical Sciences students, warranting further investigation into the relationship between enjoyment and anxiety
Contributing Factors
- Prior exposure: Mathematics students may have greater comfort with abstract computational thinking, while Biomedical Sciences students often come from life sciences backgrounds with less programming exposure
- Self-efficacy: Computer self-efficacy (perceived ability to use computers) and computer anxiety are mutually dependent; lower self-efficacy correlates with lower interest in gaining computer skills
- Career relevance: Biomedical students may not immediately see R’s relevance to their field, whereas Mathematics students recognise its importance for future statistics coursework
Mitigation Strategies
- Pre-boarding period: Allowing students to download R and RStudio before formal teaching begins helps address technical problems early
- Dual presentation: Teaching concepts both by hand calculation and using R with fully commented scripts supports different learning styles
- Interactive resources: Lecture videos, slides, and interactive quizzes help build confidence incrementally
- Early introduction: Introducing R in the first year rather than later allows students to build proficiency gradually, reducing anxiety in advanced courses
R anxiety is a measurable, discipline-specific form of computer anxiety that can be mitigated through thoughtful curriculum design, early exposure, and recognition that different student populations may require tailored support. As R becomes standard in high school curricula (e.g., Scotland’s Higher Applications of Mathematics course from August 2021), future cohorts may experience less anxiety due to earlier exposure.
