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Cognitive training via interactive television: drivers, barriers and potential users

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Abstract

This paper describes research to investigate the attitudinal and motivational factors that might facilitate or inhibit the uptake and use of cognitive training (CT) applications via interactive television (iTV) by both young and older people and to explore the profiles of potential users of such applications. A questionnaire was designed and distributed as part of the Vital Mind (VM) project. Data from a sample of 848 young and older people were collected and analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). PCA of 41 attitude statements identified six components/factors. Three factors measured potential drivers to uptake and use of iTV-based CT applications (‘active wellbeing’, ‘health concern’ and ‘technophilia’) and two measured potential barriers (‘unprogressiveness’ and ‘telly-negativity’). A sixth factor (‘active sociability’) could act as either a driver or barrier, depending on how socially oriented are different CT applications. CA of the factors and age data revealed seven different profiles of potential users of CT through iTV. Three of the clusters were predominantly older (labelled Cultured-Conservatives, Digital-Immigrants and Telly-Fans), three were younger (labelled Healthy-Strivers, Digital-Natives and Net-Generation) and one was middle-aged (labelled Busy-Interactors). Reported media use and activity (mental, physical and social) were consistent with the attitude profiles of the clusters. The appeal of iTV-based CT was generally high, with Digital-Natives and Digital-Immigrants indicating the most interest. This research provides evidence for the key attitudinal dimensions predictive of likely adoption and use of iTV-based CT, and a refined understanding of target younger and older user markets.

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Notes

  1. http://www.lumosity.com/.

  2. http://www.positscience.com/.

  3. http://www.cognifit.com/.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial support from the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme within the EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), under the VITAL MIND project (contract number: IST-215387).

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  1. Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK

    Andrea Miotto, Jane Lessiter, Jonathan Freeman, Richard Carmichael & Eva Ferrari

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  1. Andrea Miotto
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Correspondence to Andrea Miotto.

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Miotto, A., Lessiter, J., Freeman, J. et al. Cognitive training via interactive television: drivers, barriers and potential users. Univ Access Inf Soc 12, 37–54 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-011-0264-6

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