The topic of my group's research is web satisfaction, and one of the more expandable areas of this category is how different age groups respond to the Internet. The study I specifically focused on tested to see whether or not the older population of adults felt empowered by learning how to use the Internet. The hypothesis was that yes, being connected to the Web would have a positive impact on their emotional well-being because they would feel more connected to others. This study points out that the Internet and technology in general traditionally interest the younger generation more than the older one. So when an older person becomes involved with the happenings of the Internet, they appear more "youthful" and in touch with modern society. The study assumes that this is what people strive for.
There were some flaws that I noticed in the way the research was conducted. The biggest one was the size of the sample group-- 22 people and 26 in the control group is entirely not enough to make any sweeping statements about an entire generation of individuals. Also, there are numerous other factors that could not have possibly been accounted for that could either boost or decrease someone's level of happiness. These factors may not even be related to technology.
Those conducting the research also wondered whether or not physical well-being would change in regards to increased Internet use, but the results for this were statistically insignificant. It was proven, however, that mentally, the Web does help individuals when tested against a control group. Self-image and self-confidence increased and those who participated in the study stayed connected well after it was over. There could be some interesting developments to this study in the future if it could be conducted with a larger sample size, but from what research was done, it looks like the benefits of being online outweigh the costs.
Source: http://construct.haifa.ac.il/~azy/S333-OlderAdultsInternetShapira.pdf
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