Adoption of Technology in Older Adults in Mexico City: An Approach from the Technology Acceptance Model

Currently, older adults face significant digital exclusion due to a lack of technological skills, which limits their access to essential services and their social participation in an environment increasingly dependent on technology. This study aimed to analyze how technological anxiety and social influence affect the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and adoption intention of technological tools among older adults in Mexico City using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).

A survey was conducted with 70 older adults attending an event in Mexico City.

The findings confirm that, although perceived usefulness and ease of use remain pillars of technology use intention, technology anxiety acts as a critical barrier limiting adoption. At the same time, social influence has a dual effect: on the one hand, it facilitates the perception of ease of use; on the other, it diminishes the perception of usefulness when support becomes pressuring or impatient.

These results underscore the need to design interventions that reduce anxiety, strengthen digital literacy, and promote empathetic and motivating social support, thereby effectively enhancing technology adoption among older adults.