Mainstream Smart Home Technology and Living Alone Dynamic Balance Between the Emotional Needs of Groups

With the continuous advancement of globalization and urbanization, the lifestyle of modern society has undergone significant changes, and the phenomenon of living alone has become increasingly common. Mainstream Smart Home Technology (MSHT) is increasingly becoming a major trend in the future of home living. This shift not only simplifies and makes household chores more convenient but also helps people living alone address their emotional needs. However, due to the limitations of current technology, there are still constraints in truly understanding user needs and enhancing user engagement. Therefore, empirical studies are needed to analyze the degree of match between MSHT and the emotional needs of people living alone, filling the gap in existing research and comprehensively understanding the factors influencing MSHT user engagement. In this regard, this study employs the TTF (task-technology fit) theory and, based on the reality of MSHT user needs, uses structural equation modeling to explore the impact mechanism of users' emotional needs on MSHT user engagement. The study uses survey data collected from 299 MSHT consumers to empirically test the relationships of autonomy, reactivity, chronic loneliness, and generalized anxiety disorder with task-technology fit which is further expected to influence MSHT user engagement. The empirical results support the hypotheses of this study. The survey results provide important role of MSHT in addressing the emotional needs of individuals living alone, also illustrates the key role of technical features and user needs in achieving TTF for the task, which ultimately helps to improve user engagement.

IT기술의 발전으로 현대사회의생활방식도크게변화하고있으며1인가구가점점증가하고 있다. 스마트홈 기술(MSHT)은 복잡한 집안일을 단순하고 편리하게 만들 뿐만 아니라 혼자 사 는 사람들의정서적요구를해결하는데도움이된다. 그러나사용자의요구를진정으로이해 하고 사용자의 참여도를 높이는 방면에서의 연구는 아직 미비한 정도이다. 따라서 본 연구는 MSHT 특성과 1인가구의정서적욕구간의일치정도를분석하여기존연구의격차를메우고 MSHT 사용자 참여도에영향을미치는요인을살펴보고자한다. 이러한이유로본연구에서는 MSHT 사용자 요구의 실제상황과결합된작업기술적합모형을사용하고구조방정식모형 을 통해MSHT 사용자 참여에대한사용자의감정적요구의영향메커니즘에대해심도있게 논의한다. 본 연구에서는 299명의 MSHT 소비자로부터 수집된 설문 데이터를 사용하여 자동 성, 반응성, 고독감, 불안감 및 작업 기술적합성간의관계를실증적으로검증하였다. 본연구 의 결과는MSHT가 1인가구의 정서적 요구를 해결하는 데 중요한 이론적 뒷받침을제공한다. 그리고 기술적특징과사용자요구는작업기술적합성을달성하는데있어중요한역할을하 며 궁극적으로 사용자 참여를 높이는 데 도움이될 것이다.