Aging Adults’ Motivation to Use Embodied Conversational Agents in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living: Results of Latent Profile Analysis

Urška Smrke, Nejc Plohl and Izidor Mlakar
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Urška Smrke: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 46, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Nejc Plohl: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Izidor Mlakar: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Koroška Cesta 46, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: The rapidly increasing share of ageing adults in the population drives the need and interest in assistive technology, as it has the potential to support ageing individuals in living independently and safely. However, technological development rarely reflects how needs, preferences, and interests develop in different ways while ageing. It often follows the strategy of “what is possible” rather than “what is needed” and “what preferred”. As part of personalized assistive technology, embodied conversational agents (ECAs) can offer mechanisms to adapt the technological advances with the stakeholders’ expectations. The present study explored the motivation among ageing adults regarding technology use in multiple domains of activities of daily living. Participants responded to the questionnaire on the perceived importance of instrumental activities of daily living and acceptance of the idea of using ECAs to support them. Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles regarding the motivation to use ECAs (i.e., a low motivation profile, two selective motivation profiles with an emphasis on physical and psychological well-being, and a high motivation profile). Profiles were compared in terms of their acceptance of ECA usage in various life domains. The results increase the knowledge needed in the development of assistive technology adapted to the expectations of ageing adults.

Keywords: instrumental activities of daily living; embodied conversational agents; latent profile analysis; ageing adults; personalized assistive technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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