Age Related to the Ability to Adapt to Modern Technology

Student name

University of Wyoming

Different Kinds of People• People who do not want to use technology

• People who want to, but cannot

• People who need to, but cannot

• People who can easily learn

Thesis

• As age increases, the ability to learn to utilize new technology decreases.

Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS2k_z6sDQc

Prior Research

Technology as a different language

• Language of thought –Rose (1980)

• Results: Thinking in Spanish and English = better at English

• Age of learning a second language –Ramsey & Wright (1974)

• Results: Start learning younger = higher performance

Prior Research• Spatial Learning and Memory

• “Young” vs. “Elderly” learning –Sklimowska, et al. (2011)

• Results: “Young” (age 20-29) outperformed “Elderly” (64-77) in learning test

Discussion

• Partly a lack of understanding

• Partly a lack of desire

• Must know technology to survive in the future?

• New generations will have had technology for their whole lives

Conclusion• Limited research

• How long will results be valid?

• Existing research indicates a correlation

• Future research…

References• Ramsey, C. A., & Wright, E. N. (1974). Age and second language learning. The Journal of Social

Psychology, 94, 115-121.

• Rose, R. G. (1980). Second language performance and language of thought. Journal of General Psychology, 103, 245-250.

• Skolimowska, J., Wesierska, M., Lewandowska, M., Szymaszek, A., & Szelag, E. (2011). Divergent effects of age on performance in spatial associative learning and real idiothetic memory in humans. Behavioural Brain Research, 218, 87-93. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2010.11.035

Photos & Video• Avatar. (2010). Retrieved April 15, 2011 from

http://spacefiction.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/avatar.png

• Business Competition. Retrieved April 15, 2011 from http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-business-competition-young-vs-old-image1617028

• old-man-at-computer. (2011). Retrieved April 15, 2011 from http://to55er.wordpress.com/category/age/

• Sebauri88. (2011, January 9). Howard teaches his mom to use her laptop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS2k_z6sDQc