Social Mentality and Online Life of China’s Elderly

This book investigates the Internet use and online engagement of China’s elderly population, especially in relation to the formation of their social mentality and vision.

The online life of the elderly is a complex issue that is important for both economic development and social progress. In a country with a rapidly aging population like China, overlooking the online needs of the elderly and the extent to which they are met can have serious consequences for society as a whole. This book examines the impact of the Internet on the lives and social mindset of this population, specifically by analyzing their vision, i.e., their perception and concept of the world, of which the Internet is an integral part. It aims to better understand how the elderly use and adapt to the Internet, the challenges they face, and how their online experience shapes their social attitudes. The authors propose practical measures to help this significant population to benefit from the digital age and to foster positive social attitudes.

The title will appeal to scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners interested in the sociology of the Internet, especially elderly online engagement and digital inclusion.

Gao Wenjun is Associate Professor at the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Her main research fields include internet social mentality, social consensus, and social culture.

He Yijin is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, China. His main research fields include internet social mentality, social consensus, and social culture.

Zhu Di is Professor at the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Her main research fields include sociology of consumption, sustainable consumption, and social structure and stratification.

Wang Xiaobing is Director of Corporate Culture Department of Tencent. Her main research fields include internet industry, corporate culture, social consensus, and social culture.