research-article

Not For Me: Older Adults Choosing Not to Participate in a Social Isolation Intervention

Authors:

Elizabeth Ozanne,

Lars KulikAuthors Info & Claims

CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Pages 745 - 757

https://doi.org/10.1145/2858036.2858458

Published: 07 May 2016 Publication History

Abstract

This paper considers what we can learn from the experiences of people who choose not to participate in technology-based social interventions. We conducted ethnographically-informed field studies with socially isolated older adults, who used and evaluated a new iPad application designed to help build new social connections. In this paper we reflect on how the values and assumptions guiding the technological intervention were not always shared by those participating in the evaluation. Drawing on our field notes and interviews with the older adults who chose to discontinue participation, we use personas to illustrate the complexities and tensions involved in individual decisions to not participate. This analysis contributes to HCI research calling for a more critical perspective on technological interventions. We provide detailed examples highlighting the complex circumstances of our non-participants' lives, present a framework that outlines the socio-technical context of non-participation, and use our findings to promote reflective practice in HCI research that aims to address complex social issues.

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Index Terms

Not For Me: Older Adults Choosing Not to Participate in a Social Isolation Intervention
1. Human-centered computing

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI '16: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

May 2016

6108 pages

ISBN:9781450333627

DOI:10.1145/2858036

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Yahoo
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Microsoft
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University of Iowa

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Grey EBaber FCorbett EEllis DGillison FBarnett J(2024)The use of technology to address loneliness and social isolation among older adults: the role of social care providersBMC Public Health10.1186/s12889-023-17386-w24:1Online publication date: 6-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17386-w
Qian ZFu JZhou Y(2024)Gaining Technological Autonomy and Soci-emotional Support: A Case Study of How and Why Chinese Older Adults Engage with a Semi-acquaintance Online CommunityProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36869808:CSCW2(1-35)Online publication date: 8-Nov-2024
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