They’re young, they’re heavily connected, and they’re not at all pleased about it. They’re called the ambivalent networkers, and they represent a surprising but apparently very real backlash against our increasingly wired lives, according to a new report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The report divides its subjects into a range of groups, from those who are happily plugged into their mobile devices all day long to those who avoid information and communication technology (ICT) devices entirely. Among the most interesting subgroups to emerge were the ambivalent networkers. Though they often cringe when their cell phones ring, they’re afraid to unplug them or stop using social networks for fear of missing out on the latest gossip or plans with their friends. Overall, 39 percent of Americans are heavy users of mobile and other on-the-go ICT devices, while 61 percent aren’t currently interested in making them a bigger part of their daily lives. John Horrigan, associate director of research at Pew Internet & American Life Project, talks to Media Life about ambivalent networkers, mobile newbies, and other types of mobile device users and avoiders.
What did you find most surprising or most interesting about this study?
The ambivalent networkers group was most surprising. That group – 7 percent of the adult population -- is young, it heavily uses social networking sites and they are also frequent users of mobile devices for internet access and other non-voice data applications.
Yet this group reports that it doesn't always like being “always connected.” That’s the ambivalence -- heavy use but worried about the downsides of connectivity.
What characterizes an ambivalent networker and what do they have in common demographically?
As I noted, ambivalent networkers do a lot with ICTs, but sometimes bristle at too much connectivity. It is likely that many of their friends use ICTs for social networking, and perhaps people in this group worry that if they shut down their connectivity for even a short time, they might miss something from their friends.
This group is young (half between the ages of 18 and 29), and many (30 percent) are students.
What's the biggest characteristic that separates ICT users and non-users?
We find that 14 percent of adult Americans are not ICT users in the sense that they have neither cell phones nor internet access. These Americans are mainly older, low-income women with low levels of educational attainment.
You say that some Americans “reach a plateau in their technology use.” Why is this so, what are the demographics of this group, and will it ever change?
This refers to groups such as desktop veterans or drifting surfers in the typology -- about 27 percent of the adult population.
They have high levels of broadband connectivity but aren't engaged with their cell phones for much beyond basic phone calling. And their attitudes about their mobile device haven’t improved over the 2006 to late 2007 time frame. That is, they were more likely in 2007 than in 2006 to say they could do without their mobile device.
They seem content to deal with the internet occasionally and, more so than other groups, from the desktop. They don't show signs (for now at least) of evolving toward mobile use.
It is possible that in the future faster wireless networks or easy-to-use mobile applications may encourage some of these users to change their ICT habits.
What characteristics do mobile newbies share? How much do you expect this group to grow over coming years?
Mobile newbies are a group (10 percent of the population) that are recent adopters of the cell phone and enthusiastic about it. They like being more available to others because of the device and, although they use it for phone calling mainly, it is conceivable they will in time venture into other mobile applications.
The typical member of this group is about 50 years old and a woman.
Generally speaking, will the group of ICT users grow much over coming years, or will we see slower growth as Americans experiment and bounce around between new technologies?
I won’t hazard a prediction about tech adoption, especially given the current economic problems the country is experiencing.
Non-ICT users tend to be older and lower-income, as well as settled in their ways with respect to media and communication habits. They may not want to take on a new service because of affordability, and they may not have the tech literacy to become users of modern gadgetry and services.
That said, more content and service delivery is going digital, so there may be incentives for people to learn how to use these tools. But many non-users will need training and support to get on the path of using modern digital tools.
You say the bar of what qualifies as sophisticated tech behavior has changed. How, and what does now constitute sophisticated tech behavior these days?
We find that use of the mobile device -- non-voice data applications on the cell phone, but also laptop access on WiFi networks -- is the key differentiator.
Mobility draws people more deeply into use of digital tools for communicating and participating in a range of online discussions that are important to them. Some of these discussions are about collaboration and creativity, others are about planning the logistics of their busy lives.
A few years ago, having broadband at home was a marker of tech sophistication. Broadband at home is now a necessary, but not sufficient, condition to be in the tech elite. Use of technology “on the go” with mobile access is now necessary to be part of the cutting edge.
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