Abstract
Although the use of computers is expanding in the overall population, for older adults there still remains a "digital divide". Development of strategies to help insure that older people have equal opportunities to access computer technology depends on understanding why they have lower adoption rates. This paper examines changes in attitudes towards computers over time among a sample of 745 adults ranging in age from 18-75 yrs. Attitudes towards computers were assessed using the Attitudes Towards Computers Questionnaire across two time periods: 1994-1997 and 2000-2004. Over time, participants rated computers as less dehumanizing and reported an increased belief that computers were equally important to both genders. There were also age groups differences in ratings of comfort, efficacy, and control. The older adults reported less comfort, competence with computers. Over time, perceptions of having control over computers increased over time for the younger people but not for the middle-aged and older people. Understanding individual differences in attitudes towards computers is important to the design of intervention strategies such as training programs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society |
| Pages | 154-157 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2005 |
| Event | 49th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, HFES 2005 - Orlando, FL, United States Duration: Sep 26 2005 → Sep 30 2005 |
Other
| Other | 49th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, HFES 2005 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| City | Orlando, FL |
| Period | 9/26/05 → 9/30/05 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
Cite this
Older adults and attitutdes towards computers : Have they changed with recent advances in technology? / Nair, Sankaran N.; Lee, Chin Chin; Czaja, Sara J.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 2005. p. 154-157.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
}
TY - GEN
T1 - Older adults and attitutdes towards computers
T2 - Have they changed with recent advances in technology?
AU - Nair, Sankaran N.
AU - Lee, Chin Chin
AU - Czaja, Sara J
PY - 2005/12/1
Y1 - 2005/12/1
N2 - Although the use of computers is expanding in the overall population, for older adults there still remains a "digital divide". Development of strategies to help insure that older people have equal opportunities to access computer technology depends on understanding why they have lower adoption rates. This paper examines changes in attitudes towards computers over time among a sample of 745 adults ranging in age from 18-75 yrs. Attitudes towards computers were assessed using the Attitudes Towards Computers Questionnaire across two time periods: 1994-1997 and 2000-2004. Over time, participants rated computers as less dehumanizing and reported an increased belief that computers were equally important to both genders. There were also age groups differences in ratings of comfort, efficacy, and control. The older adults reported less comfort, competence with computers. Over time, perceptions of having control over computers increased over time for the younger people but not for the middle-aged and older people. Understanding individual differences in attitudes towards computers is important to the design of intervention strategies such as training programs.
AB - Although the use of computers is expanding in the overall population, for older adults there still remains a "digital divide". Development of strategies to help insure that older people have equal opportunities to access computer technology depends on understanding why they have lower adoption rates. This paper examines changes in attitudes towards computers over time among a sample of 745 adults ranging in age from 18-75 yrs. Attitudes towards computers were assessed using the Attitudes Towards Computers Questionnaire across two time periods: 1994-1997 and 2000-2004. Over time, participants rated computers as less dehumanizing and reported an increased belief that computers were equally important to both genders. There were also age groups differences in ratings of comfort, efficacy, and control. The older adults reported less comfort, competence with computers. Over time, perceptions of having control over computers increased over time for the younger people but not for the middle-aged and older people. Understanding individual differences in attitudes towards computers is important to the design of intervention strategies such as training programs.
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M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 094528926X
SN - 9780945289265
SP - 154
EP - 157
BT - Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
ER -