Abstract
To examine how Internet use affects elderly people’s social activities and psychological health, we surveyed 1,000 older individuals, aged from their 60s through their 80s, about their online and offline activities. When we analyzed the results by age, we observed age-based differences in Internet use; older respondents tended to make phone calls more frequently, while younger respondents were more likely to use social media or access the Internet through cell phones. The analysis also revealed that increased Internet use generally facilitated social activities, although this was not the case for certain types of Internet use among the 60s group. Additionally, respondents who went outdoors more frequently as part of their social activities tended to have better psychological health. The findings suggest that increased Internet use facilitates social activities, leading in turn to better psychological health, and that this trend is particularly true among those in their 70s or 80s.
