Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication
Despite ageist stereotypes about older people’s abilities to engage with information and communication technologies, grandparents are increasingly engaged with digital media. Grandmothers, in particular, are primarily responsible for using of web-based services to communicate with their children and...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), College of Communication and Public Relations, Bucharest
2016-06-01
|
Series: | Romanian Journal of Communications and Public Relations |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://journalofcommunication.ro/index.php/journalofcommunication/article/view/199 |
id |
doaj-2f0b1a1c8e244b2787d7ecb81ed7bafa |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-2f0b1a1c8e244b2787d7ecb81ed7bafa2020-11-24T22:49:05ZengNational University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), College of Communication and Public Relations, BucharestRomanian Journal of Communications and Public Relations1454-81002344-54402016-06-01181112510.21018/rjcpr.2016.1.199199Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family CommunicationLoredana Ivan0Shannon Hebblethwaite1National University of Political Studies and Public AdministrationConcordia UniversityDespite ageist stereotypes about older people’s abilities to engage with information and communication technologies, grandparents are increasingly engaged with digital media. Grandmothers, in particular, are primarily responsible for using of web-based services to communicate with their children and grandchildren (Quadrello et al., 2005). Photos and news from children and grandchildren, especially grandbabies, act as important incentives for grandparents to go online. The purpose of the study, therefore, was to investigate how grandmothers use Facebook to facilitate family communication with children and grandchildren who move far away from home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with grandmothers living in Romania and Canada, having a Facebook account and relevant family members (children or grandchildren) far from home. Three themes emerged from the data indicating: 1) the tendency to switch between different platforms to facilitate family communication; 2) the relative passive use of Facebook, focusing on photos and quotations as content that trigger emotions; 3) that Facebook usage is influenced by social norms around decency and privacy. Findings suggest that family relationships play a central role in grandmothers’ motivations and behaviours surrounding Facebook use.http://journalofcommunication.ro/index.php/journalofcommunication/article/view/199grandmotherssocial mediaFacebookfamily communicationgrandparenting |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Loredana Ivan Shannon Hebblethwaite |
spellingShingle |
Loredana Ivan Shannon Hebblethwaite Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication Romanian Journal of Communications and Public Relations grandmothers social media family communication grandparenting |
author_facet |
Loredana Ivan Shannon Hebblethwaite |
author_sort |
Loredana Ivan |
title |
Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication |
title_short |
Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication |
title_full |
Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication |
title_fullStr |
Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication |
title_full_unstemmed |
Grannies on the Net: Grandmothers’ Experiences of Facebook in Family Communication |
title_sort |
grannies on the net: grandmothers’ experiences of facebook in family communication |
publisher |
National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), College of Communication and Public Relations, Bucharest |
series |
Romanian Journal of Communications and Public Relations |
issn |
1454-8100 2344-5440 |
publishDate |
2016-06-01 |
description |
Despite ageist stereotypes about older people’s abilities to engage with information and communication technologies, grandparents are increasingly engaged with digital media. Grandmothers, in particular, are primarily responsible for using of web-based services to communicate with their children and grandchildren (Quadrello et al., 2005). Photos and news from children and grandchildren, especially grandbabies, act as important incentives for grandparents to go online. The purpose of the study, therefore, was to investigate how grandmothers use Facebook to facilitate family communication with children and grandchildren who move far away from home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with grandmothers living in Romania and Canada, having a Facebook account and relevant family members (children or grandchildren) far from home. Three themes emerged from the data indicating: 1) the tendency to switch between different platforms to facilitate family communication; 2) the relative passive use of Facebook, focusing on photos and quotations as content that trigger emotions; 3) that Facebook usage is influenced by social norms around decency and privacy. Findings suggest that family relationships play a central role in grandmothers’ motivations and behaviours surrounding Facebook use. |
topic |
grandmothers social media family communication grandparenting |
url |
http://journalofcommunication.ro/index.php/journalofcommunication/article/view/199 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT loredanaivan granniesonthenetgrandmothersexperiencesoffacebookinfamilycommunication AT shannonhebblethwaite granniesonthenetgrandmothersexperiencesoffacebookinfamilycommunication |
_version_ |
1725677337663504384 |