Perceptions of the Self Versus One’s Own Social Group: (Mis)conceptions of Older Women’s Interest in and Competence With Technology

Abstract

Our analysis investigates how gender, age, and technology stereotypes relate to one another and how this relationship reinforces or questions stereotypes. Based on intersectionality, stereotyping, and sense-making literature, our study explores how older women perceive their own interest in and competence with technology and that of their peers. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with women between 65 and 75 years of age in Germany. Our findings indicate that their evaluations of others are age and gender stereotyped. When explaining their own interest in technology, they refer to their individual preferences, and for explaining their own competence of technology, they refer to social categories. Plus, assumptions of technology usage seem to be gendered. On the basis of our findings, we discuss the need for taking social categories into account when evaluating inclusiveness with new technologies.

When agency “fits” regardless of gender: Perceptions of applicant fit when job and organization signal male stereotypes

“…In these contexts, stereotypes of jobs and organizations form a unidimensional male stereotyped, agentic pattern, which can influence perceptions of one's own and others' fit to the work context (Heilman, 2012). The assessment of oneself or others seems to follow different mental processes (Gales & Hubner, 2020;Hentschel et al, 2019), such that fit perceptions from applicants' and evaluators' perspectives likely differ. We focus on evaluators' perceptions who are important due to their roles as gatekeepers and whose assessments usually involve a lot of ambiguity and inferences giving way to stereotype influences (Nieva & Gutek, 1980).…”

“…Evaluators’ perspectives are crucial as they are gatekeepers deciding who gets a position (Cole et al., 2004). Evaluators’ perceptions likely are different from applicants’ because assessing others seems to follow different mental processes (Gales & Hubner, 2020; Hentschel et al., 2019) and often involves a lot of ambiguity and inferences which give way to stereotyping (Nieva & Gutek, 1980). For evaluators, the agentic stereotype of strictly male stereotyped work contexts becomes particularly salient and an explicit assessment criterion when recruitment material reflects the agentic stereotype – which is common in practice (Gaucher et al., 2011).…”

Perceptions of adulthood: What does it mean to be grown-up?

“…Thus, our participants may have defined adulthood using social norms or identities that are removed from their own experience. Prior studies have shown that being a member of a social group, regardless if membership is real or imagined, affects one's self-perception (e.g., Gales & Hubner, 2020).…”

Intersectionality Lens to Female Elderly's Mobile Usage Experience under COVID-19: An Intimate or Intimidating Relationship?

“…For instance, women lack decisionmaking power in their patriarchal households despite their economic empowerment through the adoption of mobile phones (Pei & Chib, 2020). In the social-psychological perspectives, the masculine assumption collectively shaped the negative stereotype that women were "chatterboxes", "less tech-savvy users," and "less interested in ICT", whereas men were perceived positively as "tech-savvy" and "have higher competence" when it comes to technology adoption and usage performance (Comunello et al, 2016;Gales & Hubner, 2020). Additionally, the biased perception that older individuals were less competent than younger ones in technology usage added more negative stereotypes for female elderly users (Comunello et al, 2016).…”