ABSTRACT

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for information-seeking, social contact and leisure activities is increasing in adults and older people. However, little is known about adults and older people who are already actively using ICTs to write a blog. The aim of this paper is to describe the benefits adults and older people gain from having a blog. Twenty-three older adult bloggers (aged 60–83 years; most of them with college degrees and retired) from Spain who, at the time of the study had an active blog were interviewed. A thematic analysis identified four different benefits related to blogging: (1) a general sense of satisfaction from producing the blog; (2) relational benefits; (3) cognitive benefits; and (4) identity benefits. Results showed that adults and older people experienced a variety of benefits that broadens the distinction between personal and social benefits found in previous research. Blogging in later life challenges the traditional passive/consumer and online user experience view of adults and older people and seems to be a good example of proactive participation through websites.

摘要

在成年人和老年人中，越来越多地使用信息和通信技术 (ICT) 来寻求信息、社交联系和休闲活动。然而，对于已经在积极使用 ICT 撰写博客的成年人和老年人知之甚少。本文的目的是描述成年人和老年人从拥有博客中获得的好处。采访了 23 位来自西班牙的老年博客作者（年龄在 60-83 岁；他们中的大多数拥有大学学位并已退休），他们在研究期间拥有活跃的博客。主题分析确定了与博客相关的四种不同的好处：（1）制作博客的普遍满足感；(2) 相关利益；(3) 认知益处；(4) 身份利益。结果表明，成年人和老年人经历了各种好处，这些好处扩大了先前研究中发现的个人和社会福利之间的区别。晚年写博客挑战了成人和老年人的传统被动/消费者和在线用户体验观点，似乎是通过网站主动参与的一个很好的例子。