How to Promote Digital Inclusion Among Older Adults? The Dual Pathways of Temporal Discounting and Stereotypes in the Smart Information Ecosystem

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Received date: 2025-11-07

  Online published: 2026-04-03

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the intertwining of digitalization and aging, exploring how to effectively promote digital inclusion among urban older adults holds significant theoretical and practical implications for enhancing their digital literacy and building an inclusive information ecology. This study aims to uncover the dynamic promotion mechanisms of digital inclusion and provide guidance for developing precise intervention strategies. Using theoretical sampling, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with urban older adults. Following the three-level coding procedures of classical grounded theory and integrating iterative analysis based on the four-dimensional structure of the intelligent information ecosystem, this study constructs a promotion model of digital inclusion for older adults centered on the "cognitive-psychological-technological" interaction, highlighting a new intervention pathway that evolves from "functional adaptation" to "psychological adaptation". The findings reveal that factors such as psychological avoidance and technological discrimination within the intelligent information ecosystem activate negative age stereotypes, thereby hindering digital inclusion. Conversely, factors like wisdom transmission and digital inclusion activate positive age stereotypes, thereby promoting digital inclusion. Individual temporal discounting tendencies play a key moderating role in this process.

Cite this article

Chen Haibo Zhang Shenzhong Ni Huiming Chen Wanchao . How to Promote Digital Inclusion Among Older Adults? The Dual Pathways of Temporal Discounting and Stereotypes in the Smart Information Ecosystem[J]. Library & Information, 2026 , 46(02) : 74 -85 . DOI: 10.11968/tsyqb.1003-6938.2026021

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