Intention to use recommendation agents for online shopping: The role of cognitive age and agent complexity

Online recommendation agents (RAs) are increasingly being made available to consumers to facilitate their online shopping decision making. However, some customers may perceive difficulty in using online RAs if they are too complex, particularly older adults who experience limitations in their cognitive abilities. Grounded in the theory of reasoned action, and the aging and information systems adoption literatures, this study proposes a theoretical model to explore the effects of cognitive age and RA complexity on consumers' intentions to use RAs. An experimental design and research methodology are outlined to validate the proposed model and identify differences between the experiences of younger and older adults in using RAs based on their cognitive age.