Possibility of Being Active Smartphone User with Elderly in Korea : Bridging Communication Divide

• In Event: 579 - Section on Communication, Information Technologies, and Media Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Literacies

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study whether family composition effects on elderly’s smartphone use and the usage of the service on the device. Among the services with the smartphone, in particular, this research focuses on smartphone messenger which is known as the most popular service on smartphone. For the analysis, I used ‘Korea Media Panel Data’ which is released by KISDI from 2011 to 2014. Sample of this study is over the age of 55. The result from this research shows that parents who have lived with their children are more likely to become smartphone users and have used mobile messenger services using their devices. This means “living with children” provides them with “learning environment” for smartphone use and its service as well. The event history analysis also shows that “living with children” provides a starting point of the smartphone messenger use. However, it is interesting that the duration of smartphone usage negatively effects on the use of mobile messenger services. Finally, this study found that there is more possibilities to become an active smartphone users from digital minority if the elderly could get more chance to learn on smartphone and its service from their family in daily life.

Author

• Joohyun Oh, Yonsei University