Recall and subjective reactions to speaking styles: does age matter?
Eighty-four younger adults (M = 20.9 years), and 70 older adults (M = 71.1 years) watched a videotaped presentation of medication instructions presented in either neutral speech or elderspeak. Older adults, particularly those with higher working memory performance, tended to recall more information from the elderspeak version. Younger and older adults agreed in rating the elderspeak as having both positive and negative characteristics. Findings supported our hypothesis that the relationship between recall performance and positive subjective reactions to speaking styles would be stronger for older adults than for younger adults.
Gould
Odette N
ON
Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, 49A York Street, Sackville, NB E4L 1C7, Canada. ogould@mta.ca
Saum
Cybil
C
Belter
Jennifer
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013060:Speech; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis