Exploring the Benefits of Habit Building and Social Interaction in Senior Universities for Older Adults in China

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-831-8_30How to use a DOI?

Keywords

senior universities (老年大学); habit formation; theory of planned behaviour; self-determination theory; social network theory

Abstract

This paper examines the benefits of habit formation and social interaction for older adults in senior universities (老年大学 lǎonián dàxué) in China. With China’s rapidly ageing population, senior universities provide educational opportunities that promote lifelong learning, skill development, and social engagement, addressing the challenges posed by demographic shifts. The study applies three theoretical frameworks: Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and Social Network Theory (SNT). TPB highlights the role of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control in habit development, while SDT emphasises autonomy, competence, and relatedness in motivating older adults to engage in educational activities. SNT underscores the importance of social networks and social capital in reducing isolation and promoting wellbeing. The systematic literature review synthesises findings from various studies on the impact of social engagement and habit formation on older adults’ health, cognitive function, and life satisfaction. By encouraging positive habits and providing a supportive social environment, senior universities are crucial in enhancing the quality of life for older adults in China, developing habit building and social interactions.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Robert James Ford
AU  - Wang Chengcheng
AU  - Liu Guannan
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/08/31
TI  - Exploring the Benefits of Habit Building and Social Interaction in Senior Universities for Older Adults in China
BT  - Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Lifespan Innovation (ICLI 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 244
EP  - 252
SN  - 2468-5739
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-831-8_30
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-831-8_30
ID  - Ford2025
ER  -