Life-span differences in the uses and gratifications of tablets: Implications for older adults

Kate Magsamen-Conrad; John Dowd; Mohammad Abuljadail; Saud Alsulaiman; Adnan Shareefi

doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.05.024

Back

Life-span differences in the uses and gratifications of tablets: Implications for older adults

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Life-span differences in the uses and gratifications of tablets: Implications for older adults

Kate Magsamen-Conrad, John Dowd, Mohammad Abuljadail, Saud Alsulaiman and Adnan Shareefi

Computers in human behavior, Vol.52, pp.96-106

11/2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.05.024

PMCID: PMC4476405

PMID: 26113769

Files and links (1)

url

http://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.05.024View

Open Access

Abstract

•Tablet uses: information seeking, relationship maintenance, style, amusement, & organization.•There are life-span differences in tablet uses and gratifications.•Tablet uses and gratifications predict hours of tablet use across four generations.•Life-span tablet use disparities have practical applications, especially for health management. This study extends Uses and Gratifications theory by examining the uses and gratifications of a new technological device, the tablet computer, and investigating the differential uses and gratifications of tablet computers across the life-span. First, we utilized a six-week tablet training intervention to adapt and extend existing measures to the tablet as a technological device. Next, we used paper-based and online surveys (N=847), we confirmed four main uses of tablets: (1) information seeking, (2) relationship maintenance, (3) style, (4) amusement and killing time, and added one additional use category (5) organization. We discovered differences among the five main uses of tablets across the life-span, with older adults using tablets the least overall. Builders, Boomers, GenX and GenY all reported the highest means for information seeking. Finally, we used a structural equation model to examine how uses and gratifications predicts hours of tablet use. The study provides limitations and suggestions for future research and marketers. In particular, this study offers insight to the relevancy of theory as it applies to particular information and communication technologies and consideration of how different periods in the life-span affect tablet motivations.

Tablet

Life-span

Technology

Multi-group model

Generations

Uses and gratifications

Details

Title: Subtitle: Life-span differences in the uses and gratifications of tablets: Implications for older adults
Creators: Kate Magsamen-Conrad - Department of Communication, Bowling Green State University, United States
John Dowd - Department of Communication, Bowling Green State University, United States
Mohammad Abuljadail - School of Media and Communication, Bowling Green State University, United States
Saud Alsulaiman - School of Media and Communication, Bowling Green State University, United States
Adnan Shareefi - School of Media and Communication, Bowling Green State University, United States
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Computers in human behavior, Vol.52, pp.96-106
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.05.024
PMID: 26113769
PMCID: PMC4476405
NLM abbreviation: Comput Human Behav
ISSN: 0747-5632
eISSN: 1873-7692
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Language: English
Date published: 11/2015
Academic Unit: Communication Studies
Record Identifier: 9984002499002771

Metrics

29 Record Views

42 Times Cited - Web of Science