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Practices of Digital Technologies Usage by Elderly People (case of Moskovskoe Dolgoletie)

Student: Morozova Vitaliia

Supervisor: Olga Logunova

Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences

Educational Programme: Sociology of Public and Business Sphere (Master)

Year of Graduation: 2020

In recent years, there has been an increase in the Internet audience due to the involvement of elderly people and digitalization of social life. In this regard, there is a social request on inclusion of older people to digital paradigm as the most disintegrated group. In that circumstances Russian State becomes a mediator of digital socialization of senior citizens. However, the role of technologies in the everyday life of older people remains vague. The objective of the research is to study practices of using digital technologies of older people. In the theoretical part of the work, we conceptualized approaches to the concepts of “old age”, “digital inequality”, “digital socialization” and “digital literacy”. We reviewed current classifications of users of digital technologies, analyzed and classified practices of using technologies, drivers and barriers to their use. Empirical part comprises research results of practices of using digital technologies by older people. Research methodology consists of mixed methods approach: the results of the study were obtained via online survey (n = 200) and in-depth interviews (n = 10). The study was conducted on the base of Moskovskoe dolgoletie project. As a result, three groups of users of digital technologies (beginners, basic, advanced) were identified and described. We also identified four main drivers (functionality, social solidarity, approbation of the new and social coercion) and two groups of barriers (personal and functional) to technologies. The author formulated a classification of practices which is based on factor analysis: everyday, informational, creative, entertaining, and gaming practices.

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