Page 49 - IJPS-11-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Age, gender, internet and older adults’ cognition

This result is likely reflective of gender and age differences adults who have limited cognitive functioning tend to have
in the way of technology use. Men are more agentic and lower Internet use and that those with higher cognition at
task-oriented, while women are more communal and baseline gain a greater increase in cognition as a result of
relationship-oriented (Bakan, 1966). Therefore, previous Internet use (Freese et al., 2006). This would suggest that as
studies found that older men were more likely to use the middle-aged and older adults increasingly get older, their
Internet for personal activities, such as online shopping natural cognitive decline would slow or inhibit the amount
and banking and health-related usage, while older women of cognitive benefit gained from Internet use. This has even
were more likely to engage in social usage of the Internet been found to differ with gender, with a study finding that
(Wang et al., 2024a; Wang et al., 2024b). Despite the direct men experienced lower cognitive decline as a result of
cognitive stimulation in learning new techniques while Internet use compared to women (Ihle et al., 2020). The
using the Internet for some personal activities, these results of this study question previous findings, indicating
activities become less cognition-stimulating once older that the natural aging process does not inhibit middle-
men acquire the techniques. Meanwhile, the cognitive aged and older adults from gaining cognitive benefits from
stimulation effect of social usage of the Internet, favored Internet use.
more by women, is consistent. In addition, digital games, The Internet is a vast world that includes a number of
especially casual games, such as card/dice, classic board interactive activities and engages cognitive functioning
games, quiz/trivia, and puzzles, are also popular among in a way that may not be readily accessible to older
middle-aged and older adults (De Schutter, 2011; Weiser, adults (Hunsaker & Hargittai, 2018). In general, social
2000). Previous studies revealed that females tended to participation decreases in older age and there is evidence
spend more time playing casual games than men, and showing that decreased social participation leads to faster
social interaction was the most important motive in cognitive decline (James et al., 2011). This is likely due to
predicting playing time (De Schutter, 2011). As a result, a concept called “cognitive reserves,” which is the brain’s
middle-aged and older women may gain more cognitive ability to withstand the natural cognitive decline that
benefits from Internet use than their counterparts of men comes with aging (Hwang et al., 2018). Middle-aged and
(Wang et al., 2024a), echoing with findings from this study. older adults who are not engaged may have less cognitive
Regarding the age difference, compared to older women, reserves as they participate only in activities of daily living
younger women are more likely to engage in Internet use that do not stimulate the brain (Kelly et al., 2017). The
for communication, such as chatting, sending emails, and
meeting new people, suggesting that older women may be Internet provides an avenue not only for social engagement
but also for the active use of cognitive processes that may
the largest consumers of digital games and other cognitively otherwise be unavailable (Hunsaker & Hargittai, 2018).
stimulating Internet activities, thereby resulting in a higher
cognitive gain (van Boekel et al., 2017). This finding is This engagement may protect middle-aged and older
consistent with a recent study indicating that the cognitive adults from atrophy and even improve cognitive processes
benefit of Internet use was partially through reduced through activities such as brain games (Bonnechère et al.,
depressive symptoms for young-old adults but enhanced 2020). Brain games are activities that stimulate the mind,
self-control for old-old adults (Wang et al., 2024). In two which include crossword puzzles, Scrabble, Chess, Sudoku,
studies on computer games, both Pearce (2008) and De Trivia, and Bridge (American Association for Retired
Schutter (2011) found that their participants, of whom the Persons, n.d; Harvard Health, 2020). Other activities that
majority were older females, expressed their fondness for could stimulate the brain include learning a new language;
the intellectual challenge of traditional games. As such, engaging in physical activity, learning a new subject, and
the gender and age differences in how the Internet is used learning to play an instrument – which are all available
likely results in a higher cognitive gain for women of older through the Internet and can improve cognition (Zheng
ages (Choi & Dinitto, 2015). et al., 2015). Due to physical limitations, middle-aged and
The use of Internet to play games, search for older adults are also often unable to attend these stimulating
information, and use social media requires cognitive activities in person but with the digital age, the acquisition
processes that include sensory and motor processing of the of knowledge is readily available from the comfort of their
hand and thumb, learning new information, and complex homes (Hunsaker & Hargittai, 2018).
processes (Gindrat et al., 2015). Internet use also requires The advantages of Internet use are opaque, and this
attention, memory, and executive processing, which can study adds to existing literature by showing that the
all diminish through the process of atrophy – the natural benefits gained from Internet use on cognition can be
process of aging that is associated with cognitive decline attained at any age, and regardless of gender. Practitioners
(Firth et al., 2019). As a result, studies have found that older serving geriatric populations should consider additional

Volume 11 Issue 1 (2025) 43 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.3119