Technological or social? Influencing factors and mechanisms of the psychological digital divide in rural Chinese elderly

The psychological digital divide (PDD) significantly impacts participation and may hinder the development of smart rural communities. This study aimed to address the issue by conducting a questionnaire survey of 394 elderly individuals from rural China, revealing the essential characteristics and core mechanisms of PDD based on the relative deprivation theory (RDT). The study also focused on a moderation test of cognitive age to validate its critical role in the formation of PDD among rural elderly individuals. The final results confirmed the stability of the PDD induction model and highlighted that the information systems (IS) continuance intention of the elderly can be affected by both technological and social environments, through relative digital deprivation. Specifically, social exclusion and technology anxiety were identified as key drivers of PDD, with technology anxiety having a stronger impact. Furthermore, the cognitive age of elderly individuals intensifies the negative influence of relative digital deprivation on IS continuance intention, while also strengthening the relationship between social exclusion and relative digital deprivation. These findings not only shed light on the nature of PDD but also provide a theoretical framework for understanding the transition from social to digital exclusion.