Mobile Instant Messengers and Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults in Taiwan: Uses and Gratifications

ABSTRACT

For middle-aged and elderly adults with potential capabilities in finance, eagerness to keep up with the times using a mobile instant messenger (MIM) is an indispensable quality. Mobile social networking services take a wide range of forms, among which an MIM, which logs in when one opens an app (application), is a representative “core service” of the information technology (IT) system. LINE is a good example of an MIM and is particularly popular in Taiwan. This article aims to understand, through the study of other social messengers, middle-aged and elderly adults’ uses of and gratifications related to for the LINE system; this study also aims to provide opinions and suggestions related to future app design, development, and research. The results show that middle-aged and elderly adults use MIM to maintain their social activities and relationships for purposes related to affection, information, stress relief, popularity, concern, and applications. We further confirm that if middle-aged and elderly adults use a larger number of LINE features, they will use them for longer time per day and more frequently per week, and they will receive more gratification from their “behavior of use.”

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Notes on contributors

Mu-Chien Chou

Mu-Chien Chou is an assistant professor at the Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University. His research areas and specialties are community technology, digital marketing, user-centered design, and visual communication design.

Chin-Hua Liu

Chin-Hua Liu is a graduate student at the Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development, National Taiwan University. His research is focused on social media and communication, social care, and marketing communication.