Research project by Dietmar Jakob

Title: Participatory justice in the digital inclusion of older adults: An analysis of the potential of voice assistants

Brief description of the context: This cumulative dissertation examines the complexity and opportunities associated with the adoption and use of voice assistants by older adults, focusing on digital participatory justice from a theological-ethical and social perspective. Through an extensive series of methodologically diverse studies—including systematic literature reviews, laboratory experiments, surveys, and field studies—the research aimed to find out how older adults perceive, interact with, and are influenced by commercial voice assistants, such as the specific model "Amazon Echo Show 10, 3rd generation with integrated Alexa voice interface," perceive them, interact with them, and are influenced by them. The thesis also highlights barriers that hinder the adoption of these technologies in this population group and addresses trends toward anthropomorphization of the devices.
The dissertation first shows that older adults can recognize the benefits of voice assistants in various applications, including information retrieval, entertainment, and health management. The results underscore the importance of these devices for improving quality of life by facilitating access to important services and promoting social interaction, even among individuals who are physically isolated.
However, the dissertation also shows that older adults have concerns about privacy and data security, which significantly influences their willingness to use voice assistants. The complexity of the devices and occasional difficulties in interaction—such as problems with command formulation and speech recognition—pose a further challenge to usability for this group.
A notable and unique aspect of the study is the anthropomorphization of the devices by some older adults. This behavior, in which users attribute human-like characteristics or emotional connections to voice assistants, points to deeper psychological and social dimensions in the relationship between users and technology. This phenomenon was examined to understand its impact on technology acceptance and the potential of these devices to alleviate feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Finally, the dissertation offers specific recommendations for improving the design, communication, and functionality of voice assistants to better meet the needs and preferences of older adults. It emphasizes the need for technology development that prioritizes the dignity and autonomy of older adults and ensures their digital participation and equality. The work calls for a holistic approach that incorporates ethical considerations into the development and dissemination of technologies and advocates for a framework that supports the full inclusion of older adults in the digital world.

Full publication:“Participatory justice in the digital inclusion of older adults: A potential analysis of voice assistants”
https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-uni-passau/frontdoor/index/index/searchtype/latest/docId/1584/start/9/rows/10

Single publication:

• Voice Controlled Devices and Older Adults – A Systematic Literature Review. In: Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. Design, Interaction and Technology Acceptance. Hrsg. von Qin Gao und Jia Zhou. Bd. 13330. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022, 175–200.
  isbn: 978-3-031-05580-5.
  doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05581-2_14

• A Quantitative Study on Awareness, Usage and Reservations of Voice Control Interfaces by Elderly People. In: HCI International 2021 - Late Breaking Papers: Cognition, Inclusion, Learning, and Culture.
  Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021, 237–257.
  isbn: 978-3-030-90328-2.
  doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90328-2_15

• Voice Controlled Devices: A Comparative Study of Awareness, Ownership, Usage, and Reservations Between Young and Older Adults. In: Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. Ed. by Qin Gao and Jia Zhou. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2023, 348–365.
  isbn: 978-3-031-34866-2.
  doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34866-2_25

• Amazon Echo: A Benchmarking Model Review. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction 2020 and 13th International Conference on Game and Entertainment Technologies 2020 (2020).
  url: https://iadisportal.org/digital-library/amazon-echo-a-benchmarking-model-review

• Adapting Voice Assistant Technology for Older Adults: A Comprehensive Study on Usability, Learning Patterns, and Acceptance. Digital2025,5, 4.
  https://doi.org/10.3390/digital5010004
  (Publication includes parts of the dissertation)

• Tendencies of Antropomorphization of Voice Assistants in the Home Environment of German Older Adults: A Field Study with Amazon Alexa. In: Gao, Q., Zhou, J. (eds) Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. HCII 2025. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 15810. Springer, Cham.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92710-2_6
  (Publication includes parts of the dissertation)

Time frame: Completed

Institutions/individuals involved:
Prof. Dr. Bernhard Bleyer (University of Passau), Prof. Dr. Diane Ahrens (Deggendorf Institute of Technology), Prof. Dr. Harald Kosch (University of Passau)