The use and acceptance of ICT by senior citizens: a comparison of technology acceptance model (TAM) for elderly and young adults

To become an information society, it is required that the citizens have access to information and communication technologies (ICT) in appropriate ways. ICT plays a major role to improve inclusion of various parts of the society (such as children, disabled citizens, and elderly) into daily life. According to reports of WHO, the world population is getting older. This urges the need for a systematic investigation of ICT needs of elderly citizens and potential problems being faced during the course of interaction with ICT interfaces. The present study focuses on the use and acceptance of ICT by elderly citizens in comparison to younger adults by providing data from citizens living in Turkey. It reports data collected from 232 elderly participants (60-96 years old) and 235 younger adults (19-40 years old). The findings of the study show that, both elderly and younger adults confirm the technology acceptance model (TAM) in a similar way. This was accompanied by elderly citizens' need for assistance, encouragement and friendlier interface designs. The present study aims to contribute towards increasing awareness about the needs and expectations of elderly citizens and inspire further research on ICT use of the elderly population.