The Factors Influencing Older Adults' Decisions Surrounding Adoption of Technology: Quantitative Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: The rapid diffusion of technology apps may support older adults' independence and improve the quality of their lives. Models for predicting technology acceptance in older adults are sparse, based on broad questions related to general technology acceptance, and largely not grounded in theories of aging. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to use a mixed methods approach involving 5 technologies to comprehensively assess the causal relationships among factors that influence older adults' willingness to adopt the technologies. METHODS: In total, 187 men and women aged 65 to 92 years participated in the study. Participants were given presentations on 5 different technologies spanning domains that included transportation, leisure, health, and new learning and provided ratings of each technology on various measures hypothesized to influence adoption. They were also administered other instruments to collect data on their actual and self-assessed cognitive abilities, rates of discounting of the technologies with respect to willingness to invest time to attain higher skills in the technologies, general technology experience, and attitudes toward technology. We used the machine learning technique of k-fold cross-validated regressions to select variables that predicted participants' willingness to adopt the technologies. RESULTS: Willingness to adopt technologies was most impacted by 3 variables: perceived value of the technologies (ß=.54), perceived improvement in quality of life attainable from the technologies (ß=.24), and confidence in being able to use the technologies (ß=.15). These variables, in turn, were mostly facilitated or inhibited by the perceived effort required to learn to use the technologies, a positive attitude toward technology as reflected in the optimism component of the technology readiness scale, the degree to which technologies were discounted, and the perceived help needed to learn to use the technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that participants' willingness to adopt technologies is mainly determined by perceptions of 3 aspects of the technologies; these aspects possibly mediate many relationships with willingness to adopt. We discuss the implications of these findings for the design and marketing of technology products for older consumers.

Investigating Older Adults' Willingness to Invest Time to Acquire Technology Skills Using a Discounting Approach.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Delay discounting is a common behavioral phenomenon that can influence decision making. A person with a higher discounting rate (DR) will have a stronger preference for smaller, more immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards than will a person with a lower DR. This study used a novel approach to investigate, among a diverse sample of older adults, discounting of the time people were willing to invest to acquire technology skills across various technologies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty-seven male and female adults 65-92 years of age participated in the study and were given presentations on 5 different technologies spanning domains that included transportation, leisure, health, and new learning. A measure of discounting was computed based on participants' assessments of how much additional time they would be willing to spend to acquire increased skill levels on each of the technologies and their ratings of importance of attaining those skill levels. Measures of participants' perceived value of the technologies, technology readiness, and self-assessed cognitive abilities were also collected. RESULTS: The findings indicated a significant and robust effect of lower DRs with increasing age. Higher perceived value of the technologies and higher levels of positive technology readiness predicted willingness to invest more time to learn the technologies, whereas self-assessments of cognitive abilities predicted the levels of technology skills that participants desired on the 5 technologies. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings demonstrate that for realistic decision-making scenarios related to the acquisition of technology skills, DRs decrease with increasing age, even within an older adult cohort, and that discounting is related to the perceived value of the technology. The findings also have important implications for the design and marketing of technology products for older consumers.

Overcoming Older Adult Barriers to Learning Through an Understanding of Perspectives on Human Information Processing.

The importance to older adults of being able to learn to perform activities related to leisure, work, or daily living for maintaining independence and a good quality of life is unquestionable. An appreciation of the challenges that older adults face during learning, as well as insights into ways to help them overcome these challenges, whether through design or instruction, can be obtained through a basic understanding of human information processing. The purpose of this article is to facilitate this understanding within the context of older adult learning. The article begins with an overview of the human information-processing system and cognitive limitations and capabilities associated with aging. Critical components of the information-processing system are then revisited in greater detail from the perspective of older adult information-processing capabilities. Concepts are illustrated through examples to demonstrate how older adults could make more efficient use of their information-processing resources during learning.

Attitudes Toward Computers Across Adulthood From 1994 to 2013.

Background and Objectives: Regardless of the increased deployment of technologies in everyday living domains, barriers remain that hamper technology adoption by older adults. Understanding barriers to adoption such as individual differences in attitudes toward computers is important to the design of strategies to reduce age-related digital disparities. Research Design and Methods: This article reports a time-sequential analysis of data from the Edward R. Roybal Center on Human Factors and Aging Research and the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) on computer attitudes among a large (N = 3,917), diverse sample of community-dwelling adults aged from 18 to 98 years. The data were gathered from 1994 to 2013. Results: The findings indicated that there are still age disparities in attitudes; older adults report less comfort with and less efficacy about using computers than younger people. We also found a cohort (birth year) effect; attitudes are generally more positive among more recent birth cohorts. Those who have more education and experience with computers also have more positive attitudes. Males generally have more positive attitudes than females; however, the gender difference decreases with increased age. Discussion and Implications: Technology affords potential benefits for older people, but lack of uptake in technology clearly puts older adults at a disadvantage in terms of negotiating today's digital world. This article provides insight into attitudinal barriers that may affect on technology uptake among older adults. The findings have implications for the design of technology training programs, design of technology systems, and policy.

Technology Adoption by Older Adults: Findings From the PRISM Trial.

Background and Objectives: There is growing evidence of the benefits of computers for older adults. Yet, adoption rates are lower compared with younger adults. Extant theoretical models of technology acceptance are limited in their application to older adults-studies on which these models are based included a limited sample of older adults or none at all; none assessed use of a technology specifically designed for older adults; and most only measured intention to use a technology or short-term use, rather than longer-term use (i.e., adoption). We assessed adoption of a computer system specifically designed for older users, for a diverse sample, over an extended period of time. Research Design and Methods: We analyzed archival data from 150 ethnically diverse older adults (65-98 years of age) who participated in the Personal Reminder Information and Social Management (PRISM) randomized controlled trial (Czaja SJ, Boot WR, Charness N, Rogers WA, Sharit J, Fisk AD,…Nair SN. The personalized reminder information and social management system (PRISM) trial: Rationale, methods and baseline characteristics. Contemp Clin Trials. 2015;40:35-46; Czaja SJ, Boot WR, Charness N, Rogers WA, Sharit J. Improving social support for older adults through technology: Findings from the PRISM randomized controlled trial. Gerontologist. 2017;58:467-477). We examined the extent to which attitudes, personal characteristics (e.g., age, gender, and personality), and cognitive abilities predicted mid-term and long-term adoption of a computer system designed for older adults. Results: There were individual differences in PRISM use over time. Regression analyses indicated that individual differences in earlier use of the system, executive functioning, and computer efficacy predicted long-term use. Discussion and Implications: These data provide insights for broader-based models of technology acceptance to guide design, instruction, and deployment of products for older adults. Specifically, the provision of opportunities to foster efficacy and gain positive experience with computer technologies may play a critical role in the likelihood that older adults adopt such technologies. Trial Registration: NCT01497613.

Factors Predicting Decisions About Technology Adoption Among Older Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Numerous technology applications are available that have the potential to improve the quality of life (QoL) of older adults. However, older adults are less likely to adopt new and emerging technologies and reap the potential benefits. This study examines factors that influence older adults' decisions about the adoption of new technology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty-two older adults participated in a mixed-method procedure, which entailed: (1) observing presentations detailing nine differing technologies, (2) assessing the technologies using tailored questionnaires, and (3) participating in focus group discussions. Participants were assigned into one of seven groups separated by age (65-74, 75+) and language (English, Spanish). The outcome was willingness to adopt technology. Predictors included self-assessed abilities (e.g., numeric ability), computer/Internet skills and knowledge, technology readiness, age, language, and technology ratings (e.g., perceived value). Analyses included Spearman's ρ, t-tests, and regression analysis. Focus group discussions were examined for supportive examples. RESULTS: Self-assessed abilities and computer/Internet skills were predictive of willingness to adopt technologies although the relationship varied according to the technology examined. Technology readiness, age, and language group showed weak associations with the outcome. Of the technology ratings, perceived value, confidence in ability to learn the technology, and the perceived impact on QoL were the most robust predictors of willingness to adopt technology. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings indicate that various stakeholders in technology adoption among older adults must be cognizant of a technology's functionality and complexity as well as the characteristics and abilities of older adults. However, certain factors such as perceptions about the value of the technology and potential impact on QoL are also critically important to decisions regarding technology adoption among older people.

Exploring Older Adults' Video Game Use in the PRISM Computer System.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: As part of the PRISM (Personal Reminder Information & Social Management) randomized field trial, a large group of older adults (N = 150) received a computer system in their home that presented them with the opportunity to play eleven different video games. While researchers have often assessed older adults' gaming preferences and habits through survey data and focus groups, this trial represented a unique opportunity to study gaming behavior "in the wild" over an entire year. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We present an exploration of game usage data, individual differences in game preferences and gaming habits, and individual difference predictors of game use. RESULTS: Although few individual difference variables consistently predicted game use and preferences, there were clear favorites among the different games, and results demonstrate that given the opportunity and training many older adults may become active and long-term gamers. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings have implications for designing video games that older adults enjoy, supporting enjoyable and meaningful interactions with video games across the life span, and for designing cognitive, social, and health interventions involving games.

Hospital Discharge and Selecting a Skilled Nursing Facility: A Comparison of Experiences and Perspectives of Patients and Their Families.

PURPOSE OF STUDY: A currently proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would require providers to devote more resources to discharge planning from hospitals to ensure the prioritization of patient preferences and goals in the discharge planning process. Annually, more than 3 million persons enter a nursing home in the United States, with the vast majority of patients coming directly from hospitals. Although early evidence suggests more family involvement than patient involvement in the discharge process, most of this work has relied on retrospective reports of the decision-making process postplacement. This article seeks to examine and compare the experiences and perspectives of patients and others involved in the selection of the nursing home (predominately adult children and spouses). PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: Large academic medical hospital with patients being discharged to a skilled nursing facility. METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE: A total of 225 patients or their family members and involved others who completed an exit survey assessing their experiences and perspectives in selecting a skilled nursing home and in experiencing the discharge process more generally. RESULTS: Patients were the primary decision makers about 23% of the time but were often involved in the decision even when family members/involved others were primarily making decisions in the discharge process. Although patients were involved in the selection of the nursing home to a lesser degree than involved others, their level of satisfaction with the decision to be discharged to a skilled nursing home and their level of satisfaction with their personal level of involvement with the selection of the specific nursing home did not differ from the satisfaction ratings of the involved others. Furthermore, their confidence in the decision and their satisfaction with the decision did not differ from ratings provided by family members/involved others. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: Recommendations for case management practice include (1) encouraging patients and their families to take an active role in the discharge process; (2) incorporating technology into the discharge process that promotes this active level of engagement; and (3) facilitating access to data to promote discharge to the highest quality nursing homes available.

Use of an online personal health record's Track Health function to promote positive lifestyle behaviors in Veterans with prediabetes.

This pilot 3-month clinical trial investigated the feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptability of using the Track Health function of the Veterans Health Administration's personal health record for eliciting a more positive physical activity and dietary intake lifestyle in a sample of 38 overweight and obese Veterans with prediabetes. Comparisons between baseline and 3 months post-intervention indicated significant improvements in weight, physical activity, abdominal circumference, and blood pressure. Use of a personal health record that users can identify with and find usable and useful coupled with instruction targeting critical functionalities could potentially promote healthy behavioral lifestyle changes.

Improving Social Support for Older Adults Through Technology: Findings From the PRISM Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: Information and communication technology holds promise in terms of providing support and reducing isolation among older adults. We evaluated the impact of a specially designed computer system for older adults, the Personal Reminder Information and Social Management (PRISM) system. Design, Setting, and Participants: The trial was a multisite randomized field trial conducted at 3 sites. PRISM was compared to a Binder condition wherein participants received a notebook that contained paper content similar to that contained in PRISM. The sample included 300 older adults at risk for social isolation who lived independently in the community (Mage = 76.15 years). Primary outcome measures included indices of social isolation, social support, loneliness, and well-being. Secondary outcome measures included indices of computer proficiency and attitudes toward technology. Data were collected at baseline and at 6 and 12 months post-randomization. Results: The PRISM group reported significantly less loneliness and increased perceived social support and well-being at 6 months. There was a trend indicating a decline in social isolation. Group differences were not maintained at 12 months, but those in the PRISM condition still showed improvements from baseline. There was also an increase in computer self-efficacy, proficiency, and comfort with computers for PRISM participants at 6 and 12 months. Discussion: The findings suggest that access to technology applications such as PRISM may enhance social connectivity and reduce loneliness among older adults and has the potential to change attitudes toward technology and increase technology self-efficacy.

Personalizing Nursing Home Compare and the Discharge from Hospitals to Nursing Homes.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether use of a personalized report card, Nursing Home Compare Plus (NHCPlus), embedded in a reengineered discharge process, can lead to better outcomes than the usual discharge process from hospitals to nursing homes. DATA SOURCES/SETTING: Primary data collected in the Departments of Medicine and Surgery at a University Medical Center between March 2014 and August 2015. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial in which patients in the intervention group were given NHCPlus. Participants included 225 patients or their family members/surrogates. DATA COLLECTION: Key strokes of NHCPlus users were recorded to obtain information about usage. Users were surveyed about usability and satisfaction with NHCPlus. All participants were surveyed at discharge from the hospital. Survey data were merged with medical records. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: About 85 percent of users indicated satisfaction with NHCPlus. Compared to controls, intervention patients were more satisfied with the choice process (by 40 percent of the standard deviation p < .01), more likely to go to higher ranked five-star nursing homes (OR = 1.8, p < .05), traveled to further nursing homes (IRR = 1.27, p < .10), and had shorter hospital stays (IRR = 0.84, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Personalizing report cards and reengineering the discharge process may improve quality and may lower costs compared to the usual discharge process.

The Association of Graph Literacy With Use of and Skills Using an Online Personal Health Record in Outpatient Veterans.

Personal health records (PHRs) are intended to increase patients' access to and ownership over their health care information for self-management purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of graph literacy with adoption of an online PHR and, among adopters with self-reported skills, the frequency of use and intent to return to use the PHR . We conducted a cross-sectional survey of veterans receiving outpatient care. We measured health literacy, numeracy, graph literacy, and Internet and PHR adoption and use. We compared subgroups of veterans using analyses of covariance. We used hierarchical logistic regression models to estimate the effects of the literacy variables on PHR use. A total of 600 veterans (age = 22-94) participated in the survey. After we adjusted for known covariates, we found that adopters of a PHR were more likely to demonstrate higher health and graph literacy than nonadopters. Among PHR adopters, self-reported frequent and skillful users were more likely to have higher graph literacy than lower frequency and less skillful users. Adopters with higher intentions to return to use the PHR were more likely to show lower graph literacy than those less likely to return to use the PHR. Inadequate graph literacy was associated with lower adoption of a PHR and, among users, with lower self-reported frequent use and skills . As PHR use becomes more widespread, stakeholders will need to consider patients' levels of graph literacy when implementing PHRs.

The Communication of Global Cardiovascular Risk by Avatars.

Communicating numerical estimates of cardiovascular risk (CVR) to patients encourage risk reduction actions. Avatars may enhance the risk messages ability to improve persuasion to adhere to healthy behaviors. We compared the efficacy of a computer-based aid communicating CVR with and without animated avatars for improving intention to adhere to lifestyle changes. Males with intermediate to high CVR received their risk message in 2 versions: an avatar using voice; voice only. Forty-one participants completed the study. Intent to change lifestyle showed a significant effect favoring the avatar (moderate effect size). Intent to follow medical treatments also showed a significant effect favoring the avatar (moderate effect size). An avatar-based computer aid significantly increased participants' intention to adhere to positive behavioral changes.

When Patients Customize Nursing Home Ratings, Choices And Rankings Differ From The Government's Version.

Report cards currently published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offer composite (summary) quality measures based on a five-star ratings system, such as the one featured on the Nursing Home Compare website. These ratings are "one size fits all patients" measures. Nursing Home Compare Plus is an alternative that allows patients and their families to create their own composite scores based on their own preferences and medical needs. We present data from 146 patients who were discharged from the hospital to nursing homes who used Nursing Home Compare Plus. We found that the individual patient-constructed composites differed from CMS's five-star ratings composite. Patients differed from each other and from CMS in the number of performance measures they chose to include in their composite and in their weighting of each performance measure. When comparing Nursing Home Compare Plus to Medicare's five-star ratings, we found only minimal agreement on ranking of nursing homes. We conclude that patients might benefit if current report cards are modified to include an option for personalized ranking.

Rationale and study protocol for the Nursing Home Compare Plus (NHCPlus) randomized controlled trial: A personalized decision aid for patients transitioning from the hospital to a skilled-nursing facility.

BACKGROUND: Annually more than 3 million people are admitted to one of the 15,965 skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in the United States, with 90% of admissions occurring from a hospital. Although the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes several internet-based report cards, including one for nursing homes (Nursing Home Compare, NHC), they are not widely used. This is due, in part, to the complexity of the information available and the fact that the choice of nursing homes is typically made while in the hospital without access to the web-based NHC. We developed Nursing Home Compare Plus (NHCPlus) to address these limitations and to improve the decision-making process. METHODS/DESIGN: This paper describes the design and rationale of a two-arm randomized controlled trial designed to test the effectiveness of NHCPlus compared to usual care only, in a sample of patients being discharged from the hospital to an SNF (N=229). Assessments were conducted within 24h prior to patient discharge and 30-days post discharge. Primary outcomes to be examined included the use of NHC, increased choice of nursing homes with better reported outcomes, and increased distance between patient/family residence and nursing home. Secondary outcomes included satisfaction with the decision to go to a nursing home, confidence in the choice of nursing home, and reduced hospital length of stay. DISCUSSION: NHCPlus is an innovative mobile application designed to allow patients to personalize their choice of nursing homes to meet their medical needs and preferences. The application to other quality report cards is discussed.

Predicting Older Adults' Perceptions about a Computer System Designed for Seniors.

PURPOSE: Although computer technology may be particularly useful for older adults (e.g., for communication, information access), they have been slower adopters than their younger counterparts. Perceptions about computers such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use can pose barriers to acceptance and universal access [1]. Therefore, understanding the precursors to these perceptions for older adult non-computer users may provide insight into the reasons for their non-adoption. METHODS: We examined the relationship between perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of a computer interface designed for older users and demographic, technology experience, cognitive abilities, personality, and attitudinal variables in a sample of 300 non-computer using adults between the ages of 64 and 98, selected for being at high risk for social isolation. RESULTS: The strongest correlates of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were: technology experience, personality dimensions of agreeableness and openness to experience, and attitudes. The emotional stability personality dimension was significantly correlated with perceived ease of use but not perceived usefulness. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that attitudes (i.e., self-efficacy, comfort, interest) remained predictive of perceptions of usefulness and ease of use when technology experience and personality variables were accounted for. CONCLUSION: Given that attitudes are more malleable than other variables, such as demographic and cognitive abilities, these findings highlight the potential to increase technology acceptance through positive experiences, appropriate training, and educational campaigns about the benefits of computers and other technologies.

Is patients' numeracy related to physical and mental health?

OBJECTIVE: There is compelling evidence showing that health literacy influences health outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research investigating this issue in the vast literature on numeracy-the ability to accurately interpret numerical information about risk, a skill that is only moderately correlated with health literacy. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated whether objective and subjective numeracy is related to objective and subjective health outcomes. Objective (subjective) numeracy is actual (self-reported) numerical competence. Objective outcomes include prevalence of comorbidity and prescribed medications. Subjective outcomes include perceptions of physical and mental health. METHODS: A convenience sample of 502 male individuals receiving outpatient care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center reported their demographics and answered a survey measuring objective and subjective numeracy, trust in physicians, satisfaction with role in medical decision making, perceptions of physical and mental health, and risky habits. We computed patients' body mass index (BMI) and their age-adjusted Charlson index-an extensively studied comorbidity index for predicting mortality in clinical research. We retrieved number of prescribed medications from medical records. RESULTS: Compared with patients who had high objective numeracy, patients with low objective numeracy showed higher prevalence of comorbidities and took more prescribed medications. Compared with patients who had high subjective numeracy, patients with low subjective numeracy had more negative perceptions of their physical and mental health. These conclusions held after controlling for the effect of demographics, risky habits, BMI, trust in physicians, and satisfaction with role in decision making, suggesting that numeracy has a unique, significant contribution to health outcomes beyond the effect of these factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our research documents for the first time that self-reported numeracy is related to perceptions of health, whereas objective numeracy is related to actual health, laying the groundwork for future research on the effect of numeracy on health outcomes.

Computer proficiency questionnaire: assessing low and high computer proficient seniors.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Computers and the Internet have the potential to enrich the lives of seniors and aid in the performance of important tasks required for independent living. A prerequisite for reaping these benefits is having the skills needed to use these systems, which is highly dependent on proper training. One prerequisite for efficient and effective training is being able to gauge current levels of proficiency. We developed a new measure (the Computer Proficiency Questionnaire, or CPQ) to measure computer proficiency in the domains of computer basics, printing, communication, Internet, calendaring software, and multimedia use. Our aim was to develop a measure appropriate for individuals with a wide range of proficiencies from noncomputer users to extremely skilled users. DESIGN AND METHODS: To assess the reliability and validity of the CPQ, a diverse sample of older adults, including 276 older adults with no or minimal computer experience, was recruited and asked to complete the CPQ. RESULTS: The CPQ demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's α = .98), with subscale reliabilities ranging from .86 to .97. Age, computer use, and general technology use all predicted CPQ scores. Factor analysis revealed three main factors of proficiency related to Internet and e-mail use; communication and calendaring; and computer basics. Based on our findings, we also developed a short-form CPQ (CPQ-12) with similar properties but 21 fewer questions. IMPLICATIONS: The CPQ and CPQ-12 are useful tools to gauge computer proficiency for training and research purposes, even among low computer proficient older adults.

The personalized reminder information and social management system (PRISM) trial: rationale, methods and baseline characteristics.

Technology holds promise in terms of providing support to older adults. To date, there have been limited robust systematic efforts to evaluate the psychosocial benefits of technology for older people and identify factors that influence both the usability and uptake of technology systems. In response to these issues, we developed the Personal Reminder Information and Social Management System (PRISM), a software application designed for older adults to support social connectivity, memory, knowledge about topics, leisure activities and access to resources. This trail is evaluating the impact of access to the PRISM system on outcomes such as social isolation, social support and connectivity. This paper reports on the approach used to design the PRISM system, study design, methodology and baseline data for the trial. The trial is multi-site randomized field trial. PRISM is being compared to a Binder condition where participants received a binder that contained content similar to that found on PRISM. The sample includes 300 older adults, aged 65-98 years, who lived alone and at risk for being isolated. The primary outcome measures for the trial include indices of social isolation and support and well-being. Secondary outcomes measures include indices of computer proficiency, technology uptake and attitudes towards technology. Follow-up assessments occurred at 6 and 12 months post-randomization. The results of this study will yield important information about the potential value of technology for older adults. The study also demonstrates how a user-centered iterative design approach can be incorporated into the design and evaluation of an intervention protocol.

Online Information Search Performance and Search Strategies in a Health Problem-Solving Scenario.

Although access to Internet health information can be beneficial, solving complex health-related problems online is challenging for many individuals. In this study, we investigated the performance of a sample of 60 adults ages 18 to 85 years in using the Internet to resolve a relatively complex health information problem. The impact of age, Internet experience, and cognitive abilities on measures of search time, amount of search, and search accuracy was examined, and a model of Internet information seeking was developed to guide the characterization of participants' search strategies. Internet experience was found to have no impact on performance measures. Older participants exhibited longer search times and lower amounts of search but similar search accuracy performance as their younger counterparts. Overall, greater search accuracy was related to an increased amount of search but not to increased search duration and was primarily attributable to higher cognitive abilities, such as processing speed, reasoning ability, and executive function. There was a tendency for those who were younger, had greater Internet experience, and had higher cognitive abilities to use a bottom-up (i.e., analytic) search strategy, although use of a top-down (i.e., browsing) strategy was not necessarily unsuccessful. Implications of the findings for future studies and design interventions are discussed.