The awareness factors of smart technologies for independent living at home among individuals in an aging societyRebrica, Natalija (Avtor) Petrovčič, Andraž (Mentor) Tuškej Lovšin, Urška (Komentor) conceptual modelsmart technologyadoptionolder adultsindependent living at homeawarenessContemporary society is rapidly aging, increasing the need for older adults to age in place and maintain independence within their own homes. Despite the rapid development of smart technologies for independent living at home (STILH) that support this need, their adoption remains low, also due to the low levels of awareness. As the first stage of individual decision-making and one of the important drivers of adoption, awareness remains underexplored, particularly regarding the factors that shape it. To address this gap, this dissertation provides a conceptual overview and empirical test of STILH awareness factors by proposing a conceptual model that integrates insights from consumer behavior, information processing, and technology adoption theories. The model is based on 13 hypotheses positing that awareness is directly driven by exposure to information about STILH, source expertise, self-source congruity, and innovativeness. In addition, the model proposes that exposure is enhanced by source expertise, self-source congruity, and innovativeness, while innovativeness itself is affected by inherent novelty-seeking, supportive subjective norm, and digital self-efficacy. Finally, these three factors are hypothesized to further increase exposure to information about STILH, creating a comprehensive path toward awareness. This model was tested using structural equation modeling on survey data from 1,200 internet users aged 55+ in Slovenia, collected in June 2024. The results support 11 out of 13 proposed hypotheses. Innovativeness emerged as the strongest direct predictor of STILH awareness, followed by information exposure. Source expertise and self-source congruity also directly affect awareness, though their effects are comparatively weaker. These findings suggest that interventions to scale up STILH awareness should prioritize raising awareness through exposure to high-quality information. By targeting older adults who are more receptive to innovation, campaigns could also reach those less inclined toward new technologies, thereby promoting a more widespread uptake of STILH. This, in turn, could enable older adults to age in place and improve their quality of life.N. Rebrica Miholič20262026-09-09 07:30:06Doktorsko delo/naloga187079sl