1.
Processing Speed and Vocabulary
Are Related to Older Adults’
Internet Experiences*
Jen Romano-Bergstrom | Facebook | JenRB@fb.com
Erica Olmsted-Hawala | US Census Bureau
Wendy Rogers | Georgia Institute of Technology
#HCII2015
@romanocog
* Best Paper Award of the 1st International Conference on Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population
Aug 5, 2015
HCII | Los Angeles, CA

2.
Aging and the brain
2
#HCII2015
@romanocog
Source: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/06/26/americans-internet-access-2000-
2015/

3.
Aging and the brain
3
#HCII2015
@romanocog
Source:
http://faculty.virginia.edu/cogage/publications2/Salthouse%20(2009)%20When%20do
es%20age-related%20cognitive%20decline%20begin.pdf

4.
Aging and the brain
4
#HCII2015
@romanocog

5.
This study
Goal: Examine the relationship between age-related
cognitive decline and Internet performance.
1. Cognitive battery
• Processing Speed
a. Backward counting task
b. WAIS Digit Symbol Coding task
• Vocabulary: Shipley Vocabulary test
2. Computer and Internet Experience Questionnaire
3. Five Information-Finding Tasks on Census Website
4. Satisfaction Questionnaire
5
#HCII2015
@romanocog

6.
Participants
6
#HCII2015
@romanocog
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Younger Middle Older
Younger Middle-age Older
N 21 19 21
Gender 15 F / 6 M 10 F / 9 M 12 F / 9 M
Age 23 (18-28) 46 (40-51) 68 (65-76)
Difficulty w learning new websites, p<.01
1:Notdifficultatall–5:Extremelydifficult

7.
Participants
7
#HCII2015
@romanocog
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Younger Middle Older
Younger Middle-age Older
N 21 19 21
Gender 15 F / 6 M 10 F / 9 M 12 F / 9 M
Age 23 (18-28) 46 (40-51) 68 (65-76)
Difficulty w learning new websites, p<.01
1:Notdifficultatall–5:Extremelydifficult

8.
Participants
8
#HCII2015
@romanocog
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Younger Middle Older
Younger Middle-age Older
N 21 19 21
Gender 15 F / 6 M 10 F / 9 M 12 F / 9 M
Age 23 (18-28) 46 (40-51) 68 (65-76)
Difficulty w learning new websites, p<.01
1:Notdifficultatall–5:Extremelydifficult
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Younger Middle Older
Backward Counting, p<.001 Digit Symbol Coding, p=.0001
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Younger Middle Older
Processing Speed 20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
Younger Middle Older
Vocabulary, p=.43
Verbal Ability

9.
Q1: Are there age-related
differences in performance?
9
#HCII2015
@romanocog
Efficiency, in seconds, p=.36
0
50
100
150
200
250
Younger Middle Older
Satisfaction, p=.26
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Younger Middle Older
Accuracy, p=.06
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger Middle Older
p<.01

10.
10
#HCII2015
@romanocogQ2: Do varying levels of cognitive
function impact performance?
a. Backward Counting Task
Younger HF Older LF Older
N 21 7 7
Scores 51 (34-75) (53) 43-60 (76) 72-84
p<.0001
Tukey HSD post hoc test:
Low-functioning Older > High-functioning Older,
p<.01
Low-functioning Older > Younger, p<.01
High-functioning Older = Younger
Accuracy, p<.05
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger HF Older LF Older
Efficiency, in seconds, p=.15
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Younger HF Older LF Older
Satisfaction, p=.28
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Younger HF Older LF Older

11.
11
#HCII2015
@romanocogQ2: Do varying levels of cognitive
function impact performance?
b. Digit Symbol Coding Task
Younger HF Older LF Older
N 19 6 6
Scores 79 (48-
116)
(72) 64-91 (34) 24-38
p<.0001
Tukey HSD post hoc test:
Low-functioning Older < High-functioning Older,
p<.01
Low-functioning Older < Younger, p<.01
High-functioning Older = Younger
Efficiency, in seconds, p=.21
0
50
100
150
200
250
Younger HF Older LF Older
Satisfaction, p=.18
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Younger HF Older LF Older
Accuracy, p<.05
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger HF Older LF Older
p<.05

12.
12
#HCII2015
@romanocogQ2: Do varying levels of cognitive
function impact performance?
c. Verbal Ability
Younger HF Older LF Older
N 21 7 7
Scores 31 (22-38) (38) 35-40 (27) 22-29
p<.0001
Tukey HSD post hoc test:
Low-functioning Older < High-functioning Older,
p<.01
High-functioning Older < Younger, p<.01
Low-functioning Older = Younger
Accuracy, p<.05
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger HF Older LF Older
Efficiency, in seconds, p=.47
0
50
100
150
200
250
Younger HF Older LF Older
Satisfaction, p<.05
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Younger HF Older LF Older
p<.01

13.
Summary
13
#HCII2015
@romanocog
Jen Romano-Bergstrom
Facebook | JenRB@fb.com
Accuracy, p=.06
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger Middle Older
p<.01
Accuracy, p<.05
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger HF Older LF Older
Verbal Ability
1. Suggests age-related decline
2. Suggests cognition mediates age-related differences
3. UX Testing must include people of all ages and cognitive abilities to ensure the
product meets all users’ needs.
Processing Speed
Digit Symbol Coding
Accuracy, p<.05
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Younger HF Older LF Older
p<.05