Experiences of digitalization among Swedish senior citizens : A qualitative phenomenographic interview study on how senior citizens in Sweden experience the phenomenon of digitalization

Abstract: Our digital world is accelerating at a rapid pace and has made technology a prime component of today’s societies. The development of digitalization affects us all in one way or another but it primarily affects our senior citizens, those who may possess a less developed knowledge within the field. How do senior citizens experience digitalization and its effects on their everyday lives?. This thesis conducted with phenomenographic semi-structured interviews aims to analyze and grasp how senior citizens experience and perceive the developing digitalization in the western world. Studies stresses how technology and digitalization increase information and communication spread in our societies and can be an efficient tool for staying in touch with relatives and close friends living far away. The results of this study, however, emphasizes on the, less talked about, negative aspects of digitalization.   The collected material consists of the answers extracted from eight interviews with male and females aged 65-80+ and these answers are categorized into similarities and differences seen in the interviews. Theoretical perspective of digital divide, ageism, visions of time, concept of experience and social imaginaries were applied to the extracted material to place the experiences in a context. The analysis clearly presents a difference between the genders and their relation to digitalization and it does relate to previous integration and knowledge with the technological field. The male interviewees communicate positive experiences with the digital world as a majority of them have been in contact with technology during their working life. The women on the other hand have more dull perceptions of digitalization and are experiencing feelings of fear of falling behind in the digital world. Self-efficacy and acceleration of time, society, and the digital world play part in how digitalization is experienced and perceived by senior citizens, a generation which may find themselves in a situation where they are unwillingly excluded from the digital society due to lack of previous knowledge and the opportunity to learn without requirements from society.