Examining Factors Influencing the Adoption of Smart Integrated Devices by the Elderly in the Digital Era: Insights from Behavioral Design Theory

Sijie Sun¹Na Qi²Haoran Li¹Liang Xiao^3*

• ¹Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
• ²Sungkyunkwan University, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
• ³RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Digitalization and aging are significant features of contemporary social transformation and development. Understanding the usage behavior of smart integrated devices by the elderly in the context of digitalization and clarifying the influencing factors have positive implications for promoting their adaptation and integration into the digital society. Using data from the 2020 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), logistic regression analysis, Lasso analysis, and robustness tests were conducted. The study found that elderly urban individuals who are male, older, married, have lower health status, higher educational attainment, lower income, internet usage experience, and fewer children are more likely to use smart integrated devices. Behavioral Design Theory provides a framework to understand these findings by considering the use of smart devices from three aspects: motivation, ability, and triggers. Motivational factors, such as health management and social connection, are crucial, with smart devices offering features like health monitoring and social media integration to enhance these motivations. Ability factors involve the design of devices that accommodate the physical and cognitive limitations of the elderly, ensuring usability. Trigger factors include family support and interaction, highlighting the role of children and relatives in providing technical support and emotional encouragement. Lasso analysis revealed that internet usage experience is the most significant and enduring factor influencing smart device usage among the elderly. Additionally, the specific purposes of internet usage play a crucial role in determining the extent of reliance on smart devices. To better help the elderly share the benefits of digitalization and actively respond to population aging, it is crucial to understand the factors that influence the use of smart integrated devices by the elderly for promoting their digital inclusion and well-being.