Isn’t It Time to Bridge Cognitive and Affective Pathways? Enhancing Elderly Users’ Engagement with Explainable AI in Digital Social Platforms

As AI-powered digital platforms become increasingly important for older adults, opaque AI systems may still trigger technology-related anxiety and reduce perceived control. This study examines how Perceived Information Clarity and Reasoning Transparency shape older adults’ Continued Usage Intention through dual cognitive and socio-affective pathways. Specifically, Perceived Information Clarity reduces Technology-Related Anxiety and enhances Perceived Agency, thereby strengthening Affective Empathy and Continued Usage Intention, whereas Reasoning Transparency promotes Social Fulfillment and Social Connectedness, which further enhance Affective Empathy and Continued Usage Intention. By integrating SEM, ANN, and interviews, this study tests the proposed mechanisms, assesses predictive importance, and contextualizes the observed effects. The results show that Perceived Information Clarity and Reasoning Transparency exert distinct but complementary influences on Continued Usage Intention, with Affective Empathy serving as a key psychological conduit. These findings provide implications for designing cognitively accessible and socially supportive XAI interfaces for older adults.