Reflections on the contributions of technology in the development of activities, relationships and social identities of the elderly

Abstract

This type of literature review paper aims to reflect on the general contributions of information and communication technologies in the development of activities, relationships and social identities of the elderly. To meet the proposed objective, this study had the support of two theories. One is widely discussed in the discipline of Gerontology: this is the modernization theory of Cowgill and Holmes, and the other is the socio-historical theory of Vygotsky. For a better understanding about the contributions of technology in the development of relationships and social activities of old people was considered at first the explanation about: (i) the information and communication technologies, (ii) points and counterpoints of the social-historical and modernization theory with the information and communication technologies and (iii) a dialogical view of technology and the development of activities, relationships and social identities of elderly. This is an exploratory study based on literature review.