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Diffusion of Technology: Frequency of use for Younger and Older Adults

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Abstract

When we think of technology-savvy consumers, older adults are typically not the first persons that come to mind. The common misconception is that older adults do not want to use or cannot use technology. But for an increasing number of older adults, this is not true (Pew Internet and American Life Project 2003). Older adults do use technologies similar to their younger counterparts, but perhaps at different usage rates. Previous research has identified that there may be subgroups of older adults, “Silver Surfers”, whose adoption patterns mimic younger adults (Pew Internet and American Life Project 2003). Much of the previous research on age-related differences in technology usage has only investigated usage broadly—from a “used” or “not used” standpoint. The present study investigated age-related differences in overall usage of technologies, as well as frequency of technology usage (i.e., never, occasional, or frequent). The data were gathered through a questionnaire from younger adults (N = 430) and older adults (N = 251) in three geographically separate and ethnically diverse areas of the United States. We found that younger adults use a greater breadth of technologies than older adults. However, age-related differences in usage and the frequency of use depend on the technology domain. This paper presents technology usage and frequency data to highlight age-related differences and similarities. The results provide insights into older and younger adults’ technology-use patterns, which in turn provide a basis for expectations about knowledge differences. Designers and trainers can benefit from understanding experience and knowledge differences.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry St., Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Katherine E. Olson & Wendy A. Rogers

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL, USA

    Marita A. O’Brien

  3. Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Neil Charness

Authors
  1. Katherine E. Olson
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  2. Marita A. O’Brien
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  3. Wendy A. Rogers
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  4. Neil Charness
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Katherine E. Olson or Wendy A. Rogers.

Additional information

This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute of Health (National Institute on Aging) P01 AG017211 under the auspices of the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE; www.create-center.org). The research was conducted in compliance with the current laws of the country and was approved by the appropriate ethics committees.

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Olson, K.E., O’Brien, M.A., Rogers, W.A. et al. Diffusion of Technology: Frequency of use for Younger and Older Adults. Ageing Int 36, 123–145 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-010-9077-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-010-9077-9

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