Ageing and digital technologies

This line of research examines the processes of ageing within (mobile) digital societies, an ever increasingly important issue given the breadth of the current demographic trends. We adopt a combined perspective that includes sociology, ethnography, and human-computer interaction to assess to what extent older people are part of the (mobile) digital revolution. In doing so, we approach this issue in a non-patronizing, non-ageist manner.

The main goals are (a) to identify (common) trends in older people’s (mobile) digital communicative practices; (b) analyze older individuals’ expectations and discourses about (mobile) digital media use; (c) identify (ageist) stereotypes that shape relations with (mobile) ICT and their consequences; and (d) contribute to the design of more inclusive technologies.

Crosscutting axis: This research line intersects with the other lines in flexible ways, particularly in regards to innovative methodologies and adopting a critical perspective of traditional and new data analyzes and its social implications. In doing this, we seek to understand the limitations and opportunities of digital methods.

Related projects:

 

Image by Dmitry Ryzhkov under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.