Important but not for Me: Understanding Older Adults’ Resistance to Gerontechnology

Gerontechnology, a widely regarded solution for aging populations that increasingly need assistance in their day-to-day lives, has yet to be able to effectively benefit older adults due to their resistance as users. The present study investigated the antecedents of older adults’ resistance toward using a smartphone-enabled home automation system. Using the lens of the equity-implementation model and the status quo bias theory, a structural model of user resistance was proposed and empirically tested using survey data collected from 182 seniors aged 55 years old and above in Malaysia. The component-based partial least square (PLS) method was employed to assess the psychometric properties of the study’s constructs and the research hypotheses. The results showed that 43.1% of the variance of user resistance was explained by seniors’ perceived value of gerontechnology and their anxiety about it. Gerontechnology anxiety has the strongest impact on user resistance and when older adults feel a high level of anxiety about using gerontechnology, they perceive fewer benefits and higher costs to switching to it. Switching benefits and costs significantly affect the perceived value of the technology. Higher self-actualization increases switching benefits, while higher self-efficacy for change reduces switching costs. The practical and theoretical implications of the research are discussed to inform researchers and practitioners of the factors contributing to older adults’ resistance to using new technology and information systems.