“Am I representative (of my age)? No, I'm not”-Attitudes to technologies and technology development differ but unite individuals across rather than within generations
Fristedt, Sofi LU ; Svärdh, Samantha LU ; Löfqvist, Charlotte LU ; Schmidt, Steven M. LU
and Iwarsson, Susanne
LU
(2021)
In PLoS ONE
16(4 April 2021).
- Abstract
While a broad spectrum of technologies is integrated in everyday life and routines, most research on ageing, health and technology has focused on attitudes toward and adoption of digital technologies including e-health, or home based monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to explore differences and similarities in attitudes and experiences with different types of technologies and development within and between three generations. We applied a qualitative, descriptive design and recruited a purposeful sample of participants from three generations (30-39, 50-59, 70-79 year old). The 25 participants took part in 3 x 2 focus groups. Forming four categories, the findings show that technologies enable as well as complicate everyday... (More)
While a broad spectrum of technologies is integrated in everyday life and routines, most research on ageing, health and technology has focused on attitudes toward and adoption of digital technologies including e-health, or home based monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to explore differences and similarities in attitudes and experiences with different types of technologies and development within and between three generations. We applied a qualitative, descriptive design and recruited a purposeful sample of participants from three generations (30-39, 50-59, 70-79 year old). The 25 participants took part in 3 x 2 focus groups. Forming four categories, the findings show that technologies enable as well as complicate everyday life. Participants expressed trust as well as uncertainty about risks when using technology and stated that use of digital services is required while support is limited. They identified that technology development is inevitable but not always in the service of users. In conclusion, experiences of and attitudes towards technologies and technology development are not limited to generation; perspectives sometimes unite individuals across rather than within generations. Thus future technologies and technology development, as well as services and policies aiming to support the use of said technologies should consider individual user perspectives including needs, desires, beliefs or goals neglected in the existing technology models, and involve users beyond generations defined by chronological age. Such strategies are likely to be more successful in supporting development of technologies usable for all.
(Less)
- author
- Fristedt, Sofi
LU
; Svärdh, Samantha
LU
; Löfqvist, Charlotte
LU
; Schmidt, Steven M.
LU
and Iwarsson, Susanne
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-04
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- PLoS ONE
- volume
- 16
- issue
- 4 April 2021
- article number
- e0250425
- publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85104754267
- pmid:33886658
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0250425
- project
- GenerationTech – Ageing, Technology and Health from a Generational Perspective
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 991aabd0-b69e-4aa6-a13e-6c1094de6fc0
- date added to LUP
- 2021-05-10 11:42:05
- date last changed
- 2024-04-20 05:55:54
@article{991aabd0-b69e-4aa6-a13e-6c1094de6fc0,
abstract = {{<p>While a broad spectrum of technologies is integrated in everyday life and routines, most research on ageing, health and technology has focused on attitudes toward and adoption of digital technologies including e-health, or home based monitoring systems. The aim of this study was to explore differences and similarities in attitudes and experiences with different types of technologies and development within and between three generations. We applied a qualitative, descriptive design and recruited a purposeful sample of participants from three generations (30-39, 50-59, 70-79 year old). The 25 participants took part in 3 x 2 focus groups. Forming four categories, the findings show that technologies enable as well as complicate everyday life. Participants expressed trust as well as uncertainty about risks when using technology and stated that use of digital services is required while support is limited. They identified that technology development is inevitable but not always in the service of users. In conclusion, experiences of and attitudes towards technologies and technology development are not limited to generation; perspectives sometimes unite individuals across rather than within generations. Thus future technologies and technology development, as well as services and policies aiming to support the use of said technologies should consider individual user perspectives including needs, desires, beliefs or goals neglected in the existing technology models, and involve users beyond generations defined by chronological age. Such strategies are likely to be more successful in supporting development of technologies usable for all.</p>}},
author = {{Fristedt, Sofi and Svärdh, Samantha and Löfqvist, Charlotte and Schmidt, Steven M. and Iwarsson, Susanne}},
issn = {{1932-6203}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4 April 2021}},
publisher = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
series = {{PLoS ONE}},
title = {{“Am I representative (of my age)? No, I'm not”-Attitudes to technologies and technology development differ but unite individuals across rather than within generations}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250425}},
doi = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0250425}},
volume = {{16}},
year = {{2021}},
}