ITAA - KSCT Joint Symposium

Understanding Elderly Consumers' Intention to Use Smart Clothing: Psychological Influences and the Role of Introducers

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Abstract

As aging populations grow worldwide, smart clothing is emerging as a viable solution for promoting elderly health and independence through continuous biometric monitoring. However, adoption among elderly consumers remains limited due to psychological barriers. This study explores the mechanisms driving elderly consumers’ intention to use smart clothing, focusing on the mediating role of perceived usefulness and the moderating effects of introducer age and psychological influence. Using a between-subjects experiment with 241 South Korean elderly participants, results revealed that perceived usefulness mediated the effect of perceived ease of learning and use on intention to use. Furthermore, a three-way interaction showed that elderly introducers were more effective in enhancing perceived usefulness among psychologically vulnerable users, while young introducers had greater influence among psychologically resilient seniors. These findings extend the Senior Technology Acceptance Model and offer practical insights for tailoring marketing and design strategies to elderly user segments in smart wearable adoption contexts.

Keywords: Elderly consumers, Smart clothing, Senior Technology Acceptance Model, Psychological influence, Role of introducers

How to Cite:

Kwack, S., Kim, J., Kim, S. & Lee, Y., (2025) “Understanding Elderly Consumers' Intention to Use Smart Clothing: Psychological Influences and the Role of Introducers”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21401