Unveiling the paradox of technostress: Impacts of technology-driven stressors on the elderly's avoidance behaviors

This study reveals the paradox of technostress on the elderly due to the large-scale COVID testing during the post-COVID-19 period. Drawing upon the stressor-strain-outcomes framework, we examined how technology-driven stressors affect the elderly's avoidance behaviors. Results indicate that two types of technology-driven stressors exert opposite influences on the elderly's avoidance behaviors through the mediating effect of technology anxiety. Specifically, the elderly's technology-driven challenge stressors exert a positive influence on their avoidance behaviors, while the elderly's technology-driven hindrance stressors exert a negative influence. Moreover, stigma consciousness plays a moderating role in the relationship between the elderly's technology-driven hindrance stressors and technology anxiety by strengthening the positive influence of the elderly's technology-driven hindrance stressors on technology anxiety. Our findings deepen the understanding of the good and bad of technostress and provide implications for older adults, technology developers, and the government.