Beyond Technocracy: How Capital Disparities Shape Gerontechnology Expectations Across Age Cohorts

TL;DR

This study explores how differences in health literacy and social support influence older adults' expectations for gerontechnology, revealing patterns shaped by lifelong inequalities.

Contribution

The study applies Bourdieu’s capital theory to show how disparities in cultural and social capital shape gerontechnology expectations across age groups.

Findings

Young-old adults (60–64) with higher e-health literacy and poorer health had stronger expectations for gerontechnology.

Middle-old adults (65–79) primarily anticipated safety-monitoring benefits amid health declines.

Oldest-old adults (80–99) showed mixed dynamics where informational support increased expectations but reduced instrumental support correlated with health-management interest.

Abstract

Gerontechnology holds transformative potential for aging-in-place. However, its prevailing designs often reflect biomedical and technocratic biases, overlooking critical disparities in older adults’ technological engagement that fundamentally reflect inequities in cultural capital (electronic-health literacy and self-rated health) and social capital (intergenerational support). Grounded in Bourdieu’s capital theory, this study investigates how these multidimensional factors differentially shape expectations toward health-focused gerontechnology across age cohorts. We analyzed data from 869 Chinese older adults aged 60-99, categorized into three cohorts (60-64, 65-79, and 80-99). Path analysis was conducted to assess how electronic-health literacy, intergenerational support, self-rated health and other socioeconomic characteristics relate to older people’s expectations of two health-focused gerontechnology types: safety-monitoring and health-management. Distinct patterns emerged. The young-old cohort (60–64 years) with higher e-health literacy and poorer health status demonstrated significantly stronger expectations for both gerontechnology, whereas the middle-old cohort (65–79 years) with health declines primarily anticipated safety-monitoring benefits. The oldest-old cohort (80–99 years) revealed divergent dynamics—informational support increased expectations for both gerontechnology, yet reduced instrumental support correlated with health-management interest. These findings underscore that gerontechnology expectations are not merely a function of individual capability but reflect systemic inequities in lifelong capital accumulation. By moving beyond individual-centric adoption models, we argue for structural interventions that address disparities in e-health literacy and social support systems.