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ABSTRACT
Drawing on data derived from a nationwide postal survey (n = 1264) with a simple random sample of Swedes between ages 65 and 85 (response rate: 63%), the article analyses the general patterns of: (a) degrees of information and communication (ICT) access and (b) ICT-literacy among Swedish senior citizens. The overall patterns of access and literacy are analysed in light of senior citizens’ assets – conceptualized as material, discursive and social resources – and their age and gender. The analysis reveals a positive correlation between levels of material (e.g., income), discursive (e.g., English skills) and social (e.g., social networks) resources and access to ICT. With greater resources, the average number of devices increases. The analysis also reveals a positive correlation between discursive and social resources and ICT-literacy. Gender has no bearing on access to devices, but might have some effect on ICT-literacy. The correlation between age, access and literacy is negative. With increasing age, both access and literacy decreases. In this respect, the study reveals a generational effect. However, since all three resources tend to decrease over the life cycle, the results are also discussed in terms of an age effect. These data and our analyses are contextualized by a critical discussion that reflects on the implications of these general patterns: What do they mean for senior citizens’ abilities to be included and participate in a continuously digitalizing society?
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Tobias Olsson (Ph.D.) is a professor of Media and Communication studies at Lund University. He has conducted extensive research in the areas of media and citizenship, Internet culture, and mediated participation. His current publications include articles in journals such as Communication Research and Social Media+Society [email: [email protected]].
Ulli Samuelsson (Ph.D.) is an assistant professor of Education at Jönköping University. Her research focus is in the area of digital inequality, and her publications include articles in journals such as Learning, Media and Technology and Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy [email: [email protected]].
Dino Viscovi (Ph.D.) is a senior lecturer in Media and Communication studies. His research has examined news journalism, journalists and media audiences. He has recently co-authored a book on survey design [email: [email protected]].
Notes
1 Income: Roughly, what is the approximate total annual income of all people in your household before tax (including pension and other income)? Twelve intervals from 100,000 SEK to More than 1.1 million SEK.
2 Dwelling size: How many rooms, kitchen and bathroom not included, are there in your dwelling? (a) 1–2 rooms. (b) 3–4 rooms. (c) 5–6 rooms, (d) 7 or more. Coding: 1–4.
3 Infrastructure, rural or urban area: In what kind of area are you currently living? (a) Big city: center. (b) Big city: suburb, outer area. (c) City: center. (d) City: outer area. (e) Bigger town. (f) Smaller town. (g) Rural area. Dummy variable: 0 = e to g; 1 = a to d.
4 Statistics Sweden, ‘Sverige i siffror’: scb.se.
5 According to The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, 65% in urban areas and 21% in rural areas had fibre optic connections in Sweden 2015: pts.se.
6 Education: What is your highest completed education? The survey provides 10 different alternatives, following the standards established by Statistics Sweden. In addition, the classification short (1), medium (2) and long (3) used in the regression analysis also derives from Statistics Sweden, cf. Gilljam, Holmberg, and Bennulf (Citation1991).
7 English skills: How would you rate your skills in reading and understanding English? Very good, good, fair, poor, coded 4–1.
8 Professional experience: Did you use computer or other digital technology in the last five years in your working life? Great extent, some extent, little extent, not at all, coded 4–1.
9 Marital status: What is your marital status? (a) Married/partnership. (b) Widow/widower. (c) Cohabiting (d) Single. Dummy variable: d = 0: a-c = 1.
10 Children: Do you have children? (a) No. (b) Yes. Dummy variable: a = 0, b = 1.
11 Engagement in civil society: In which of the following associations or organisations are you a member? (a) Sports club, recreation association. (b) Environmental organization. (c) Political party, assoc. (d) Trade union. (e) Cultural assoc. (f) Local community assoc. (g) Org. for immigrants. (h) Pensioners org. (i) NGO. (j) Other assoc. or org. And I have some kind of assignment. Coding: no membership at all = 0, one or many memberships = 1, membership and assignment = 2.
12 Access: Do you use any of the following? Yes or no. (a) Laptop. (b) Desktop. (c) Tablet. (d) Smartphone. (e) E-book reader. (f) Smart-TV (g) Another mobile device.
13 How often do you use digital technology to do any of the following? (a) Take photos, (b) Make movies, (c) Create music or other sounds, (d) Write blog posts, (e) Comment on public news articles. Daily, weekly, monthly, more Seldom, never, coded 5–1.
14 Do you do any of the following? (A) Clear cache memory, (b) Clear web history, (c) Update software, (d) Download apps, (e) Clear junk mail, (f) Zip files, (g) Use cloud services. Often, sometimes, seldom, never and not familiar with, coded 5–1.
15 Does it happen that you help others to solve technical problems with computers, smart phones or surf pads? Often, sometimes, seldom, never, coded 4–1.
16 Does it happen that you help others to use computers, smart phones or surf pads? Often, sometimes, seldom, never, coded 4–1.
17 I like to try new technical devices or gadgets. Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, coded 4–1.
18 1200 persons responded by mail, only 64 digitally, that is, 5%. It seems quite obvious that comparatively expensive postal surveys are still relevant.
19 Of the respondents with only one device (n = 167), 49% have a laptop, 31% desktop, 9% tablet, 8% smartphone, 1% smart-TV, 1% e-book reader.
20 It may be worth pointing out that some individuals with two devices might also be included in the category with limited opportunities, namely, those who have a laptop and a desktop, or a smart-TV and a laptop or desktop (n = 28.2% of the sample).