本研究想要探討台灣老人使用手機的情形，希望藉此了解台灣老人為何使用或不使用手機，期待透過此研究找出老年族群使用手機之脈絡，以及手機做為一種生活科技產品在台灣社會中對老人的意義。本文所謂台灣偏鄉老人指的是戶籍在雲林縣，居住在人口未達鄉鎮規範人數等區域的老人。本文貢獻在於瞭解智慧型手機未普遍出現前鄉村地區老人使用一般手機的社會狀況與情形。研究方法採量化與質性研究並進，筆者於2008年在雲林縣進行1200份的老人需求調查發現，女性老人有92.8%沒有使用手機，較男性老人的58.4%高，且女性不使用手機的原因則以不會使用(51.5%)為主，為了解其原因，於2008至2009年間於量化問卷訪談中之老人邀集30位受訪對象，這些受訪者居住於非斗六市的鄉村地區，在研究方法上本文大量運用質性訪談及半結構式問卷搜集資料進行分析。訪談初步發現在30位個案中，有15位使用手機，其中以60到70歲的男性居多，手機多半被用來撥打與接聽，以連絡家人或朋友。受訪者有半數沒有使用手機的原因分別為：(1)不需要；(2)手機費用貴；(3)自我設限；(4)不識字。從個人訪談記錄發現手機是否被老人廣泛使用的關鍵在於社會結構籠罩下行動者受箝制的種種條件：包括台灣電信制度的收費方式與標準，使得以經濟安全為重的老人卻步，不太願意積極使用。還有台灣高齡人口所接受的性別框架、被期待扮演的性別角色與工作、長期從事無酬家務導致經濟能力的弱勢等因素皆被納入父權資本主義大傘下，成為高齡男性使用手機較高齡女性多的背景。儘管社會心理的退化、教育程度、階級等人口變項以及個人對科技產品的態度皆會影響老人使用手機，但是不同性別老人做為行動者使用手機的關鍵似乎有所不同。雖同樣為了手機的即時性，但阿公是因為常在外趴趴走，阿嬤是因為要照顧孫兒，或是繼續展現其聯絡的情感性角色。研究亦發現社會參與活動較多的高齡女性使用手機的意願和機會較多。

This study explored the use of mobile phones to understand why elderly Taiwanese use or not to use the phone, and look through old age groups to identify the context of the use of mobile phones to study mobile technology products as a way of life in Taiwan society the significance of the elderly. This study inquired into the elderly of 1200 samples in Yunlin Countryside and use personal interviews and a questionnaire to gather data for analysis. Interviews in 30 cases, the preliminary findings, there are 15 use mobile phones, with century old (60-70 years old) male, most of the mobile phone was used to make and receive phone in order to contact family members or friends. Half of the respondents did not use mobile phones , the reason are : (1) do not need, (2) cell phone more expensive, (3) self-handicapping (4) can't read. Whether from personal interviews found that cell phones are widely used by elderly people is the key to social structure over the muzzling of actors under a variety of conditions: including Taiwan telecommunication system of charging methods and standards, so take the economic security of the elderly, less willing to use. Women in Taiwan are expected to play a role of care and have long been engaged in unpaid housework led to economic empowerment of disadvantaged, becomes old men use more mobile than older women in Countryside. Despite the degradation of social psychology, education, demographic variables such as class and individual attitudes toward technology products would affect the elderly who use mobile phones, but different sex, age as actors use seems to vary in cell phone. Also for cell phones in real time, but Grandfather often go out to play, Grandma is having to take care of the grandchildren, or show the emotion of its liaison role. Studies also found that the older women participate more willingness and opportunity to use more mobile phones.