ERIC Number: EJ1262231
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1935-3308
EISSN: N/A
Visually Impaired Older People's Construction of Real Identities via Online Self-Disclosure
Okonji, Patrick; Aryal, Kamal
Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, v10 n4 p257-270 Sum 2016
As older people are increasingly involved in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), there are concerns about staying connected. In building and maintaining relationships online, self-disclosure and identity presentation are key social functions. Studying the perceived relevance and dynamics of online-enabled identity formation among older people with disabilities may challenge normative social and cultural values on disabilities. This study explored the engagement of visually impaired older people with CMC for socialization, and how they construct their real identities, promoting psychosocial positive adaptation to vision disability. The study employed tools of ethnography: observations in an internet café specifically for visually impaired people and semi-structured interviews with 20 visually impaired older adults between the ages of 60-87 years. Findings show the perceived benefits of CMC for identity construction for this group, and also how through CMC, participants defined identity on their terms, shifting from 'dis'abilities to abilities. The study concludes that CMC may challenge negative, exclusionary stereotypes about living with vision impairment, and asserting positive citizenship.
Descriptors: Older Adults, Visual Impairments, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Computer Mediated Communication, Interpersonal Relationship, Social Influences, Cultural Influences, Identification (Psychology), Foreign Countries, Self Esteem
Cedarville University. 251 North Main Street, Cedarville, OH 45314. Tel: 937-766-3242; Fax: 937-766-7971; e-mail: jeqr@comcast.net; Web site: http://www.jeqr.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A