UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL AND AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

Abstract

Older adults, as a group, tend to be slower than younger adults to adopt new technologies. These differences are well illustrated in the Pew data sets, which we will summarize briefly. However, within each age group, there are individual differences in rates of adoption. We will provide an overview of the factors that predict technology adoption early (i.e., related to perceptions of ease of use or usefulness) as well as over time. The PRISM trial provided a unique opportunity to assess predictors of use over the course of one year. We will present these data, as well as other examples, to identify predictors of technology adoption across and within age groups. Understanding these individual and age-related differences can provide guidance for the deployment of new technologies that may be beneficial to users in terms of health benefits, social interaction, or cognitive engagement.