Die Bedeutung von Gratifikationen bei der Aneignung neuer Medien im höheren Lebensalter: Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Studie mit hochaltrigen Nutzerinnen und Nutzern digitaler Medien

BACKGROUND: A widespread assumption is that people learn certain ways of dealing with media in the course of their youth and adult life, which later make it difficult for them to develop new patterns of media usage. Beyond theoretical assumptions, there is a lack of exploratory studies that investigate the conditions under which older people pick up new media technologies and integrate them into their everyday lives. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From October 2019 to March 2020 a total of 16 semi-standardized individual interviews were carried out with people aged between 80 and 92 years. The interviewees had learned to use a digital medium on their own in the past few years and had integrated this into their everyday lives. RESULTS: The interviewees appropriated new media in a targeted manner. It is noticeable that processes of appropriation were largely triggered by severe changes in living conditions. In addition, most of the interviewees learned how to use a digital medium because they wanted to use specific functions. With some delay, new options for online use have been explored. With respect to the primary motivations and gratifications of appropriation, the following patterns were identified: new media as 1) hobby expansion, 2) support network, 3) compensation instrument, 4) connectivity option, 5) breaking out of everyday life. CONCLUSION: As far as older people perceive practical everyday potentials of use, they show a high degree of adaptability with respect to new media. Against this backdrop, a gratification-oriented model appears to be a promising starting point for explaining the requirements for media appropriation on the basis of motifs that create meaningful incentives to learn how to use new media in old age.