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Beyond WhatsApp: Older people and smartphones
Romanian Journal of Communication and Public Relations Pub Date : 2016-06-07 , DOI: 10.21018/rjcpr.2016.1.200
Andrea Rosales , Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol

This paper analyzes how older people, living in Spain, use smartphones and smartphone applications. Using a mixed methods approach, we compare quantitative results obtained by tracking mobile app usage amongst different generational samples with qualitative, focus-group discussions with active smartphone users. A sample of Spanish smartphone users were tracked during one month in the winter of 2014 (238 individuals, aged 20 to 76 years-old). This was followed by three focus group sessions conducted in the spring of 2015, with 24 individuals aged 55 to 81. As we learned, WhatsApp is currently the most popular application used by people of all ages, including older adults. Smartphones increasingly are playing a central role in the life of older participants, although the frequency of app access is negatively correlated with age. On the other hand, as our data indicates, older adults also use a number of different types of apps that are distinct from that of younger users. Older participants access personal information manager apps (calendar, address book and notes) more often than other age groups. And comparatively, older participants use the smartphone less often in stable locations (home, office, relatives’ home) with Wifi than somewhere else and with mobile data. As we argue, differences in age seem to reflect the evolution in personal interests and communication patterns that change as we grow older. Our study captures new trends in smartphone usage amongst this cohort. It also indicates how a combination of methods may help to assess the validity of the log and qualitative data. We highlight the relevance of conducting careful generational studies in smartphone use and some of the potentials and limitations of making predictive studies of ICT use as we change throughout the life course. Finally, we assert the value of the inclusion of older representatives within research, which ultimately may influence public decisions and the design of new technologies.

中文翻译:

WhatsApp之外:老年人和智能手机

本文分析了居住在西班牙的老年人如何使用智能手机和智能手机应用程序。使用混合方法,我们将跟踪不同代样本中的移动应用使用情况以及与活跃的智能手机用户进行定性,焦点小组讨论的定量结果进行了比较。在2014年冬季的一个月内,跟踪了西班牙智能手机用户的样本(238人,年龄在20至76岁之间)。接下来是2015年春季举行的三个焦点小组会议,有24位55至81岁的人参加。据我们了解,WhatsApp是目前所有年龄段的人群(包括老年人)使用的最受欢迎的应用程序。尽管应用程序访问的频率与年龄呈负相关,但智能手机在老年参与者的生活中越来越扮演着核心角色。另一方面,正如我们的数据所示,老年人还使用许多与年轻人不同的应用程序。与其他年龄段的参与者相比,年龄较大的参与者访问个人信息管理器应用程序(日历,通讯录和便笺)的频率更高。相对而言,年龄较大的参与者使用Wifi的地点较稳定的地方(家庭,办公室,亲戚的家中)使用智能手机的频率要低,而不是使用移动数据的其他地方。正如我们所争论的,年龄差异似乎反映了随着年龄的增长,个人兴趣和交流方式的变化。我们的研究抓住了这一群体中智能手机使用的新趋势。它还指出了方法的组合如何有助于评估日志和定性数据的有效性。我们强调在智能手机使用中进行仔细的世代研究的相关性,以及随着我们在整个生命过程中不断变化而对ICT使用进行预测研究的一些潜力和局限性。最后,我们主张将年长的代表纳入研究的价值,这最终可能会影响公共决策和新技术的设计。
更新日期:2016-06-07
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