1. p. 1 Cross-generational Online Relationships Perception differences of cross- generational online relationships. Prof. Dr. Bernadette Kneidinger Junior Professor for Sociology Faculty of Social Sciences University of Bamberg bernadette.kneidinger@uni-bamberg.de How young and older people experience age diversity on Social Network Sites.

2. p. 2 Cross-generational Online Relationships Society is changing… Technological change Changing mobility Changing job requirements Changing family structures Demographic change

3. p. 3 Cross-generational Online Relationships Internet users are changing… ABC News The Guardian, 10.11.2013 Kleine Zeitung Die Welt

4. p. 4 Cross-generational Online Relationships Facebook grows up …

5. p. 5 Cross-generational Online Relationships Facebook grows up … Facebook users 2013 Data Source: Socialbakers.com %

6. p. 6 Cross-generational Online Relationships Project about intergenerational relationships on the internet First step: qualitative interviews with young and older internet users Second step: quantitative online survey with users from all age groups (12-73 years) The empirical project

7. p. 7 Cross-generational Online Relationships Focus on Facebook users 987 completed questionnaires Mainly from Austria and Germany January 2012 45% 45 years The survey Which forms of intergenerational contacts can be observed on Facebook? How do young and older users evaluate the social network site as interaction platform with other generations? Research questions

8. p. 8 Cross-generational Online Relationships Significance of communication types… < 25 years25-45 years>45 years Face-to-Face (98%)Face-to-Face (99%)Telephone (96%) SMS (96%)Telephone (95%)Face-to-Face (94%) Telephone (95%)SMS (89%)Email (89%) Facebook (73%)Email (84%)SMS (77%) Email (64%)Facebook (61%)Facebook (46%) VOIP (45%) VOIP (38%)Letter (38%) (Video-)Chat outside Facebook (31%) Letter (26%)VOIP (33%) Letter (30%) (Video-)Chat outside Facebook (27%) Fax (18%) Fax (4%)Fax (9%) (Video-)Chat outside Facebook (15%)

9. p. 9 Cross-generational Online Relationships Age structures of Facebook „friends“ under 25y. Friends? <25 y.25-45 y.>45 y. 0 %0,53,011,8 1-25%5,564,768,5 26-50%13,723,412,9 51-75%38,47,24,5 75-100%42,01,82,2 total 100,0 over 45y. Friends? <25 y.25-45 y.>45 y. 0 %26,611,62,2 1-25%72,279,645,0 26-50%0,56,927,2 51-75%0,71,618,3 75-100%0,00,37,2 total100,0 Women older than 45 years tend to have more contacts to younger generations on FB than men Older users have a higher age variety in their friend list than younger users.

10. p. 10 Cross-generational Online Relationships Attitudes towards generation-mix on SNS „I think the growing number of older Facebook users is…“<25 years25-45 years older friends yes no yes no very negative03,90,41 negative4101,64,2 neutral67,372,859,780,2 positive20,312,824,910,4 very positive8,40,613,44,2 Gesamt100100,1100

11. p. 11 Cross-generational Online Relationships Older users experience more positive changes in relationship quality (26,4%) than the younger ones (5,4%) Qualitative findings: older users like „passive“ information transfer – FB offers insights in the lives of the young relatives Changes of relationship quality? “You understand their doing, their thoughts better,… because the young ones – I would say – post almost everything and so you can understand some things much better.” (46-year-old woman)

12. p. 12 Cross-generational Online Relationships Different perceptions of intergenerational communication 85% do not report an amplification of contacts to older generations 26% chat „frequently“ with younger generations on FB 6% report „frequent“ communication on FB with older generations 33% experience an intensification of contacts to younger ones. Younger than 25 years Older than 45 years 19% say „FB offers me a better insight in the lives of older generations“ 40% say „FB offers me a better insight in the lives of younger generations“

13. p. 13 Cross-generational Online Relationships Explinations for perception differences? „contact“ = passive information transfer „contact“ = active communication Younger than 25 years Older than 45 years High number of high active young „friends“ Low number of high active „friends“ Under-estimation of contacts  independency Over-estimation of contacts  „investments“ Intergenerational Stake Hypothesis Definition Differences Proportion of Contacts

14. p. 14 Cross-generational Online Relationships Conclusions for Online Research… Young and older users can interpret terms differently. Young and older users can have different needs for their communication practices. „Ask both sides…“ „Think about your terms…“ „Understand differences…“ Young and older users can experience the same thing/activity differently. Thank you for your attention! Contact: bernadette.kneidinger@uni-bamberg.de