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Exploring the Emotional Geographies of Communication Technology Use Among Older Adults in Contemporary London

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Exploring the Emotional Geographies of Communication Technology Use Among Older Adults in Contemporary London Exploring the emotional geographies of communication technology use among older adults in contemporary London Alexandra Boyle School of Geography Queen Mary University of London Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. March 2017 Page 1 of 305 Statement of Orginality I, Alexandra Boyle, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Alexandra Boyle Date: 24th March 2017 Details of collaboration and publications: N/A. Page 2 of 305 Abstract Geographies of ageing literature recognises the emotional qualities of ageing. However, an historical tendency to overly medicalise ageing means research often focuses on the emotions associated with specific events such as the emotions involved in living with health-related conditions, being a carer, or being cared for in different settings. There remains a paucity of research that attends to the everyday, mundane emotions of being old. This research attends to this lacuna by drawing on theoretical frames emerging from post-humanism and emotional geographies. Specifically, this research engages with the spatial organisation of emotions as it pertains to an increasingly significant element of ageing: the role of communication technology in older people’s ability to create and maintain new modes of (techno)sociability. Drawing upon 29 qualitative interviews and 13 cultural probe follow up responses with retired Londoners aged 59 to 89 years, this research examines how technology connects bodies to objects, people to people and (re)connects older adults to place in new and unexpected ways. Among this participant group diverse, highly individualised and complex amalgams of communication technologies were used. Each mode of communication technology was deployed using intricate strategies of selection and implementation, based on varying temporalities and spatialities, enhancing the ability of participants to relate emotionally with others. Technology use in this regard enabled the portability and emotional continuity of social networks, as communication was no longer tied to certain physical spaces. These findings are theoretically significant as emotions are increasingly seen to have a direct impact on the spatial construction of society through shaping human capacities and behaviours, which form the world around us. Work in this domain has been limited with certain emotions and bodies being more readily researched, and affiliated with particular gendered and sexualised bodies, bodily capacities, physical forms and social identities than others. This research is able to offer an understanding not currently present in geographical literatures, and offer new modes of spatial analysis that take into account the pervasive but differentiated use of technology. Page 3 of 305 Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge and thank my supervisors Dr Tim Brown and Dr Kathryn Yusoff for their support, dedication, guidance, and for making this such an enjoyable process. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you. Thank you to Queen Mary University of London for their generous funding of this research through a Queen Mary University of London Principal’s Research Studentship. Thank you to all of my participants who not only gave up their time, but shared their interesting lives and stories with me. It was a pleasure to meet you and be able to spend time with you. I am grateful also to all of the community centres and organisations who invited me to meet with them and their members, as part of this research. Thank you to James Brand for his mapping assistance. This thesis was proofread for the purposes of spelling and grammar by Dr Linda Graham. To my fellow PhD students, most especially Kristin, Sam, Jenny and Josie, you have made this experience so enriching. Your support and friendship has sustained me. To Rachael, thank you for always cheering me on and being so generous towards me. To Matt, thank you for your reassurance, quiet confidence, patience, and unwavering, loving support and constant care. To my parents, thank you for your emotional, generous financial and practical support and for your never ending encouragement. I am forever indebited to you both. A special thank you to my mother Linda, proof-reader extraordinaire, for your tireless proofreading efforts. Page 4 of 305 Table of Contents Statement of Originality………………………………………………………….. 2 Abstract……………………………………………………………………………. 3 Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………….. 4 Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………….. 5 List of Figures and Tables ……………………………………………………….. 8 List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………… 9 Chapter One: Introduction 10 Research Context …………………………………………………………………. 12 Ageing Terminology………………………………………………………. 12 The Demographic Context of Ageing in the United Kingdom & London.... 14 Technology Terminology……………………………………………….…. 15 The Technological Context of the United Kingdom & London……...……. 16 Research Questions ………………………………………………………………. 18 Thesis Outline ……………………………………………………………………. 18 Chapter Two: Situating the Emotional & Spatial Dimensions of Technology Use among Older Adults 22 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 22 The Geographies of Ageing………………………………………………………. 23 The Medicalised Ageing Body…………………………………………….. 25 The Neoliberal Economics of Ageing…………………………………….... 30 The Gendered Ageing Body……………………………………………….. 34 Alternative Conceptualisations of Ageing……...………………………….. 40 The Emotional Geographies of Ageing ………………………………………….. 41 The Emotional Lives of Older Adults……...………………………………. 48 Technology Use and Ageing……………………………………………………… 56 The Social Construction and Socialisation of Technology………………… 57 The Emotional Interactions enabled by New Techno-sociabilities……...…. 65 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………. 70 Page 5 of 305 Chapter Three: Researching Emotions, Technology and Ageing 72 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………….. 72 Researching Emotions: Non-Representational Theory and Language ……….. 72 Cultural Probe Methodology …………………………………………………….. 76 Research Methods………………………………………………………………… 78 Fieldwork Preparation……………………………………………………… 78 The Fieldwork Site: London………………………………………... 78 Ethical Considerations…………………………………………….. 80 Producing the Empirical Material…………………………………………. 82 Stakeholder Interviews……………………………………….......... 82 Sampling and Participant Criteria………………………………… 83 Participant Recruitment………………………………………........ 84 Older Adult Participants………………………………………....... 87 Researcher Diary………………………………………………….. 93 Analysis & Interpreting the Empirical Material ………………………………. 93 Reflecting on Methodological Encounters of Ageism …………………………. 95 Methodological Contributions and Limitations………………………………… 96 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 96 Introduction to the Participant Group 98 Chapter Four: The Body 103 The Chronologically Ageing Body……………………………………………… 103 The Feeling of the Ageing Body………………………………………………… 114 Participant Bodies in Retirement………………………………………………. 120 Future Bodies and Death………………………………………………………... 129 The Experience of Ageism………………………………………………………. 134 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….. 143 Chapter Five: The Language of Technology & (Ageing) Bodily Communication _ 145 Conceptualisations of and Relationships with Technology…………………… 146 Computer Literacy………………………………………………………………. 155 Page 6 of 305 Participant Preferences for Written, Verbal or Face-to-Face Communication….………………………………………………………………..161 The Language of Social Media………………………………………………….. 167 The Visceral and Sensory Aspects of Technology Use among Participants …………………………………………………………………………………….. 174 Body Language (Spoken and Unspoken Communications) ………………….. 184 Co-Presence in Virtual Spaces………………………………………………….. 190 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….. 194 Chapter Six: Networked Relations 196 Familial Networks………………………………………………………………. 197 Friendship and Interest-Based Networks……………………………………… 211 Ageing in Place, in London …………………………………………………….. 222 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….. 230 Chapter Seven: Conclusion 232 References ……………………………………………………………………….. 243 Appendices Appendix A: Participant Information Sheet…………………………….. 272 Appendix B: Participant Consent Form…………………………………. 276 Appendix C: ICT Support Letter………………………………………… 278 Appendix D: Stakeholder Participant Interview Schedule………………. 280 Appendix E: Recruitment Flyer…………………………………………. 281 Appendix F: Table of Participant Demographic Information…………… 283 Appendix G: Older Adult Participant Interview Schedule……………… 287 Appendix H: Outline of Cultural Probes Activities and Activity Kit Example.…………………………………………………… 289 Appendix I: Example Postcard Imagery………………………………… 294 Appendix
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