Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective

Abstract Amid rapid population aging and the swift progress of artificial intelligence technology, the use of artificial intelligence products (AIPs) can improve older adults’ well-being by helping them integrate into digital society. However, limited research has explored the influence mechanism of...

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Main Authors: Wenjia Hong, Changyong Liang, Yiming Ma, Junhong Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-07-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05518-z
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author Wenjia Hong
Changyong Liang
Yiming Ma
Junhong Zhu
author_facet Wenjia Hong
Changyong Liang
Yiming Ma
Junhong Zhu
author_sort Wenjia Hong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Amid rapid population aging and the swift progress of artificial intelligence technology, the use of artificial intelligence products (AIPs) can improve older adults’ well-being by helping them integrate into digital society. However, limited research has explored the influence mechanism of this social integration. This study builds a theoretical model to explore the influence mechanism of different sources of intergenerational digital feedback on older adults’ digital social integration (DSI) from personal initiative perspective. An explanatory sequential mixed-method design is used, including a quantitative study (questionnaire survey with 549 respondents) and qualitative study (semi-structured interviews with 11 participants). A structural equation model is used for quantitative data analysis, and the quantitative results are explained by the qualitative results. Our results show that societal feedback has the greatest impact on older adults’ motivation and capability to use AIPs, and that motivation to use has a greater impact on personal initiative than capability to use. In addition, the results confirm that the key to DSI of older adults is their own initiative to use AIPs. Accordingly, this study proposes that the whole society should actively help older adults use AIPs, better integrating them into digital society.
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spelling doaj-art-8a352be19f204cf39d1f91cfa0b2ed872025-08-20T04:01:54ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-07-0112111410.1057/s41599-025-05518-zIntergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspectiveWenjia Hong0Changyong Liang1Yiming Ma2Junhong Zhu3School of Management, Hefei University of TechnologySchool of Management, Hefei University of TechnologySchool of Management Science and Engineering, Anhui University of Finance and EconomicsSchool of Management, Hefei University of TechnologyAbstract Amid rapid population aging and the swift progress of artificial intelligence technology, the use of artificial intelligence products (AIPs) can improve older adults’ well-being by helping them integrate into digital society. However, limited research has explored the influence mechanism of this social integration. This study builds a theoretical model to explore the influence mechanism of different sources of intergenerational digital feedback on older adults’ digital social integration (DSI) from personal initiative perspective. An explanatory sequential mixed-method design is used, including a quantitative study (questionnaire survey with 549 respondents) and qualitative study (semi-structured interviews with 11 participants). A structural equation model is used for quantitative data analysis, and the quantitative results are explained by the qualitative results. Our results show that societal feedback has the greatest impact on older adults’ motivation and capability to use AIPs, and that motivation to use has a greater impact on personal initiative than capability to use. In addition, the results confirm that the key to DSI of older adults is their own initiative to use AIPs. Accordingly, this study proposes that the whole society should actively help older adults use AIPs, better integrating them into digital society.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05518-z
spellingShingle Wenjia Hong
Changyong Liang
Yiming Ma
Junhong Zhu
Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
title_full Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
title_fullStr Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
title_full_unstemmed Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
title_short Intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults: an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
title_sort intergenerational digital feedback and digital social integration of older adults an empirical study from personal initiative perspective
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05518-z
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AT yimingma intergenerationaldigitalfeedbackanddigitalsocialintegrationofolderadultsanempiricalstudyfrompersonalinitiativeperspective
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