Beyond digital literacy
A structural model analysis of technology acceptance among Elderly persons
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17832180 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Amey Khare (0000-0002-4884-2480, Symbiosis International University, corresponding author), Riya Mukherjee (0000-0003-3796-4586, Symbiosis International University), Madhura Bedarkar (0000-0002-0983-3450, Symbiosis International University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-04 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2662-9992 • E-ISSN: 2662-9992 |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41599-026-07146-7 |
| OpenAlex | W7149393897 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
With the continued integration of digital technologies into daily life, Elderly persons in urban India are presented with opportunities and barriers to use digital technologies. While digital literacy is often argued to be the means to bridge the digital divide, is it enough to ensure that the use of digital technologies actually happens? This research identifies the factors associated with Elderly persons’ behavioural intention to use digital technologies, leveraging the technology acceptance model (TAM) and structural equation modelling (SEM). Results from the study indicate that Perceived Ease Of Use (PEOU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), and Attitude Toward Use (ATU) predict adoption, but that digital literacy does not predict behavioural intention, challenging the assumption that simply providing Elderly persons with skills leads to higher rates of adoption. Further multi-group invariance analysis reveals that both older men and women exhibit similar adoption patterns, with no significant differences based on gender. The models draw upon studies conducted elsewhere in the world without disregarding barriers specific to India related to infrastructure, socioeconomic status, and cultural ways of knowing. The basis of this research calls for designing for ease of use that meets the needs of older adult populations and suggests that an option to consider, beyond digital literacy programmes, is to provide culturally relevant and user-friendly interventions that facilitate meaningful engagement with digital technologies. This research base can provide some direction for policy, urban governance, and technology design for the growing older adult populations globally, as well as in India
Digital divide · Digital Literacy · Psychological intervention · Structural equation modeling · Technology Acceptance Model · Usability · Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility · Digital Accessibility for Disabilities · Technology Use by Older Adults
Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Using R
Measurement of Digital Literacy Among Older Adults
Learning to use new technologies by older adults
Can we teach digital natives digital literacy?
The use and acceptance of ICT by senior citizens
Evaluating Goodness-of-Fit Indexes for Testing Measurement Invariance
Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis
A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling
Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models
Sample size in factor analysis.
Knowledge mapping and evolution of research on older adults’ technology acceptance
Investigating older adults users’ willingness to adopt wearable devices by integrating the technology acceptance model (UTAUT2) and the Technology Readiness Index theory
Digital literacy among older adults
Factors Influencing Intention to Technological Use in Older Adults. The TAM Model Aplication
A review of Internet use among older adults
Old Dogs, New Clicks
Motivation matters
Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |