TY - JOUR
T1 - Innovation in Later Life
T2 - A Study of Grandmothers and Facebook
AU - Yachin, Mor
AU - Nimrod, Galit
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Aging + Communication + Technologies (ACT), a research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and housed at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - Relying on the Innovation theory of successful aging, this study aims at exploring how grandmothers around the world perceive and use Facebook. Twenty-seven focus groups were set up in seven countries: Canada, Colombia, Israel, Italy, Peru, Romania, and Spain. Participants consisted of 184 grandmothers aged 65 and over who use information and communication technology to some extent. Data were analyzed according to hybrid thematic analysis principles and findings pointed to substantial ambivalence regarding Facebook. Grandmothers who used it reported rather restrained use that was typically triggered externally and characterized by reactive use patterns. Nevertheless, Facebook appeared to promote users’ well-being by supporting preservation of their relationships, roots, and sense of relevance. These findings suggest a new theoretical tenet to innovation theory according to which even “restrained innovation” in later life may be beneficial.
AB - Relying on the Innovation theory of successful aging, this study aims at exploring how grandmothers around the world perceive and use Facebook. Twenty-seven focus groups were set up in seven countries: Canada, Colombia, Israel, Italy, Peru, Romania, and Spain. Participants consisted of 184 grandmothers aged 65 and over who use information and communication technology to some extent. Data were analyzed according to hybrid thematic analysis principles and findings pointed to substantial ambivalence regarding Facebook. Grandmothers who used it reported rather restrained use that was typically triggered externally and characterized by reactive use patterns. Nevertheless, Facebook appeared to promote users’ well-being by supporting preservation of their relationships, roots, and sense of relevance. These findings suggest a new theoretical tenet to innovation theory according to which even “restrained innovation” in later life may be beneficial.
KW - grandmothers
KW - later life
KW - technology
KW - well-being
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088394630&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0091415020940200
DO - 10.1177/0091415020940200
M3 - Article
C2 - 32700541
AN - SCOPUS:85088394630
SN - 0091-4150
VL - 92
SP - 521
EP - 540
JO - International Journal of Aging and Human Development
JF - International Journal of Aging and Human Development
IS - 4
ER -