How do adult Americans like their technology? Pew Internet Life & Project’s Typology of information technology users

May 6th, 2007 Karine Joly 2 Comments

The Pew Internet Life & Project has just published its latest report: “A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users.”

It is based on the findings of a daily tracking survey on Americans’ use of the Internet, data gathered through telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates between February 15 and April 6, 2006, among a sample of 4,001 adults, aged 18 and older.

As a result, this typology should also be very helpful to institutions targeting adult students.

This 65-page report, available for free as a PDF file, identifies 10 types of technology users in the US that can be grouped in 3 main categories:

Elite Tech Users – 31% of American adults

  • Omnivores 8%
    They have the most information gadgets and services, which they use voraciously to participate in cyberspace and express themselves online and do a range of Web 2.0 activities such as blogging or managing their own Web pages.
    The median age of this group is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. 42% versus the 13% average of Omnivores are students, and many undoubtedly have access to high-speed and wireless networks at school.
  • Connectors 7%
    Between featured-packed cell phones and frequent online use, they connect to people and manage digital content using ICTs –
    all with high levels of satisfaction about how ICTs let them work with community groups and pursue hobbies.
  • Lackluster Veterans 8%
    They are frequent users of the internet and less avid about cell phones. They are not thrilled with ICT-enabled connectivity.

Middle-of-the-road Tech Users – 20%

  • Productivity Enhancers 8%
    They have strongly positive views about how technology lets them keep up with others, do their jobs, and learn new things.
  • Mobile Centrics 10%
    They fully embrace the functionality of their cell phones. They use the internet, but not often, and like how ICTs connect them to others.

Few Tech Assets – 49%

  • Connected But Hassled 10%
    They have invested in a lot of technology, but they find the connectivity intrusive and information something of a burden.
  • Inexperienced Experimenters 8%
    They occasionally take advantage of interactivity, but if they had more experience, they might do more with ICTs.
  • Light But Satisfied 15%
    They have some technology, but it does not play a central role in their daily lives. They are satisfied with what ICTs do for them.
  • Indifferents 11%
    Despite having either cell phones or online access, these users use ICTs only intermittently and find connectivity annoying.
  • Off the Network 15%
    Those with neither cell phones nor internet connectivity tend to be older adults who are content with old media.

I think I fit the profile of a “connector” (incidentally 55% of those are women in my age bracket). I guess most readers of this blog are probably Elite Tech Users and a few might be Middle-of-the-Road users, but that’s just my guess.

So, tell me, what are you?

Go have a look at the complete descriptions of the types (go to page 18 of the PDF report) that describe best your relationship with technology and post a comment below to let us know what type of user you are.

2 Responses

  1. Lacey says:

    I would say I’m mostly a connector, although, I’m a good bit younger than the average age. I’m very surprised to see that most of them are women, I’m not surprised that men make up the “omnivores” group, but I thought they would reign over then “connectors” group as well.

  2. […] of tech users incorporating attitudes towards the mobile web (which was an addition compared to their previous typology I wrote about in May 2007) in a report titled “The Mobile […]

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