Effect of Successful Aging on Technology Acceptance: The Moderating Role of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Strategies

Abstract

Successful aging improves the health and well-being of older adults. Positive attitudes toward aging gave rise to more confidence in handling changes in their life in old age, thus reducing their barriers to information technology use often exist among older adults. Therefore, the influence of successful aging and technology use behavior on older adults’ aging process is a crucial research topic. The technology acceptance model was applied in this study to understand the relationship between selective optimization with compensation (SOC) strategies and technology acceptance. Individuals (n = 208) aged 60 years or older who possessed a smartphone but lacked knowledge on how to use it beyond basic operations were recruited from nine community care centers in Taiwan. The participants took part in two group-based (n = 6–7 each) training programs covering smartphone applications (16 hours) and SOC strategies (14 hours) related to smartphone use, with the training period lasting 4.5 months. Surveys were conducted after smartphone application training and after SOC strategy training. The results showed that SOC moderated the relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and older adults’ AT toward smartphones. All study hypotheses were supported, and the positive attitude toward aging motivates the elderly to utilize smartphones to compensate for aging-related deficits in daily life. The findings herein can be used as a reference for those wishing to encourage older adults to use smartphones in the pursuit of successful aging.