University of Twente Student Theses
Stories of Technology
Schulz, Christian (2019) Stories of Technology.
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| Abstract: | Stories of Technology analyzes the themes and meanings underlying adoption of communication technology in older adults of at least 65 years of age in relation to their conceptions about their own and younger technology generations. Furthermore, the continuity of technology adoption profiles was assessed. A qualitative, semi-structured and technology-oriented life story interview was developed and applied to a sample of 6 older adults. Idiosyncratic meanings were extracted from the narratives by means of holistic content analysis and inductive coding. Second, deductive codes from theoretical concepts of both the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory were applied to the data. The results demonstrate that current adoption models fail to recognize technology adoption in older adults as an inherently social process that is informed by the evaluation of generational preferences, technology-inherent learning processes and age-related adoption hurdles. All theoretical concepts from TAM, DOI and technology generations were confirmed in the data and adoption profiles were equally divided between early and late adopters, exhibiting high continuity throughout life. The study emphasizes the need for narrative guided theory making as a strategy to overcome the gap in current technology acceptance models that largely exclude individual socio-cultural processes. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/78152 |
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