An Age-Old Problem

Abstract

Ageing has become a significant area of interest in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in recent years. In this article we provide a critical analysis of 30 years of ageing research published across the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI) community. Discourse analysis of the content of 644 archival papers highlights how ageing is typically framed as a “problem” that can be managed by technology. We highlight how ageing is typically defined through an emphasis on the economic and societal impact of health and care needs of older people, concerns around socialisation as people age, and declines in abilities and associated reductions in performance when using technology. We draw from research within the fields of social and critical gerontology to highlight how these discourses in SIGCHI literature represent common stereotypes around old age that have also prevailed in the wider literature in gerontology. We conclude by proposing strategies for future research at the intersection of ageing and HCI.

Transitions in Digital Personhood

“…The complex social psychology of older adulthood has been acknowledged in HCI, as has its ecological dimensions because of HCI's focus on technology interaction [11,64]. Previous research on the older adult population (which includes retirees) has increasingly focused on online interactions and social media use.…”

“…Such recent studies suggest HCI design directions that acknowledge the diversity of orientations to new technology in this population [21,33,43]. It seems appropriate for HCI research to approach older adults as multifaceted, complex individuals who carry with them rich life experiences and nuanced perspectives on technology [56,64].…”

“…While there has been extensive HCI work on ageing populations and technology use (see Vines et al [64]), this rarely focuses on transitional perspectives. Notable exceptions include: a UK study by Lindley and Wallace of downsizing amongst seniors [34]; Brewer and Piper's US study of older adult bloggers in which the authors emphasize older adulthood as a period of growth [13]; Salovaara et al on the transitioning lives of late middle aged individuals in Sweden and Finland [56]; and Williams et al on Thai retirees' use of mobile technology [66].…”

“…Our research is inspired by critiques [13,55,56,64,65] of previous work framing retirees as less tech-literate and more socially isolated. Such critical commentaries suggest alternative approaches to engaging older populations, for example, thinking of them as 'multifaceted' individuals [64] with substantial experience of various roles, identities and 'possible selves' [56] across their life course, and with valuable perspectives on technology design.…”

“…Such critical commentaries suggest alternative approaches to engaging older populations, for example, thinking of them as 'multifaceted' individuals [64] with substantial experience of various roles, identities and 'possible selves' [56] across their life course, and with valuable perspectives on technology design. A new HCI research agenda calls for more idiographic approaches that consider the complex lives of such individuals [64].…”