abstract

Retirees on Facebook: can online social networking enhance their health and wellness?

Authors:

S. Shyam Sundar,

Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch,

Richard BehrAuthors Info & Claims

CHI EA '11: CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Pages 2287 - 2292

https://doi.org/10.1145/1979742.1979931

Published: 07 May 2011 Publication History

Abstract

An individual's social network has a strong impact on his or her mental and physical health. This is of particular consequence for senior citizens who are at greater risk of social isolation after retirement, due to loss of spouse, mobility issues, and recent emphasis on aging in place, i.e., in smart homes. Can online social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook help alleviate social isolation of aging alone by enabling seniors to maintain high-quality social interactions? How can we make senior-friendly design improvements to SNSs? A preliminary national survey (N =168) of adults over 55 revealed that for those who had joined an SNS, the primary motivation cited for signing up was persuasion by a friend or family member, while non-users cited a strong lack of interest rather than a lack of knowledge or skill, with implications for theory and design of SNS technology for senior citizens.

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Index Terms

Retirees on Facebook: can online social networking enhance their health and wellness?
1. Human-centered computing

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI EA '11: CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 2011

2554 pages

ISBN:9781450302685

DOI:10.1145/1979742

General Chair:
Desney Tan
Microsoft Research
,
Program Chairs:
Bo Begole
PARC
,
Wendy A. Kellogg
IBM Research

Copyright © 2011 Authors.

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SIGCHI: ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 07 May 2011

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CHI '11: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 7 - 12, 2011

BC, Vancouver, Canada

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Overall Acceptance Rate 6,164 of 23,696 submissions, 26%

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https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61379-1_13
Sumner EMcEwan BRamirez A(2022)General, Network, and Communicative Characteristics of Facebook Use in Relation to Quality of Life during Older AdulthoodCommunication Reports10.1080/08934215.2022.2121977(1-14)Online publication date: 20-Sep-2022
https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2022.2121977
Fu LXie Y(2021)The Effects of Social Media Use on the Health of Older Adults: An Empirical Analysis Based on 2017 Chinese General Social SurveyHealthcare10.3390/healthcare90911439:9(1143)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2021
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9091143
Sumner ERamirez AFletcher J(2021)Social Network Site Relational Reconnection Among Older AdultsCommunication Studies10.1080/10510974.2021.197514372:5(850-865)Online publication date: 9-Sep-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.1975143
Chen CKrieger MSundar S(2021)Smartphones, robots, and social media: aging with communication technologiesHandbook of the Psychology of Aging10.1016/B978-0-12-816094-7.00014-3(139-153)Online publication date: 2021
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Luperto MBasilico NVuono ACid MCesari MFerrante SBorghese N(2021)A Community-Based Activity Center to Promote Social Engagement and Counteract Decline of Elders Living IndependentlyAIxIA 2020 – Advances in Artificial Intelligence10.1007/978-3-030-77091-4_24(388-422)Online publication date: 22-May-2021
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Gaia ASala ECerati G(2020)Social networking sites use and life satisfaction. A quantitative study on older people living in EuropeEuropean Societies10.1080/14616696.2020.176291023:1(98-118)Online publication date: 19-May-2020
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Wong DAmon KKeep M(2019)Desire to Belong Affects Instagram Behavior and Perceived Social SupportCyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking10.1089/cyber.2018.053322:7(465-471)Online publication date: Jul-2019
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Newman LStoner CSpector A(2019)Social networking sites and the experience of older adult users: a systematic reviewAgeing and Society10.1017/S0144686X19001144(1-26)Online publication date: 20-Sep-2019
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