As an educator, how do you see stereotypes affecting technology usage?
As an educator, I see stereotypes affecting technology usage by characterizing older adults as continuing to lag behind the general population when it comes to using information and communication technology (König et al., 2020). Unsurprisingly, they are also stereotyped as having less technological ability than younger age groups. Some studies suggest this is particularly common concerning computer technology. Another common stereotype is older workers are stereotypically perceived as less technologically skilled and they may also experience stereotype threat effects on technology-related behaviors, particularly in the workplace (König et al., 2020).
Another possibility is that stereotype threats may lead older adults to distance themselves from computers in favor of other types of technology. For instance, tablets tend to be perceived as easier to use than computers (Tsai et al., 2021), suggesting that older adults may be less likely to worry about confirming age stereotypes about technological inability when they consider using them. In my opinion, I believe future research should explore these potential processes, while also examining the generalization of stereotypes affecting technology usage. Reference:
König R., Seifert A., Doh M. (2020). Internet use among older Europeans: an analysis based on share data. Univ. Access Information Soc. 17 621–633. 10.1007/s10209-018-0609-5
Tsai H.-Y. S., Shillair R., Cotten S. R., Winstead V., Yost E. (2015). Getting grandma online: are tablets the answer for increasing digital inclusion for older adults in the U.S.?. Educ. Gerontol. 41 695–709. 10.1080/03601277.2015.1048165
