Accepting the future: comparing the adoption of technology by age cohorts

Abstract

With ever advancing technologies becoming more integrated in our everyday lives, we must adapt and learn to utilize these new technologies in order to maintain a presence in society. One group that struggles to adopt and learn the processes involved with advancing technologies is the older adult population. Previous literature suggests that older adults tend to encounter multiple barriers when attempting to adopt technology including cost, technology fluency, purpose of use, and concerns over privacy and safety. Using data from the 2015 Current Population Survey (CPS) Computer and Internet Use Supplement, different demographic factors are analyzed for influences on age cohorts and their use of technologies. Age cohorts are broken down into: Generation Y, Generation X, and the Baby Boomer/Silent Generation. The overall goal is to see if additional factors, besides age, affect a person's adoption and use of technology. Findings indicate that older adults use less technology than younger people, but that occupation and location factors have the greatest influence on the adoption of technology.