Linear and Nonlinear Age Trajectories of Language Use: A Laboratory Observation Study of Couples' Conflict Conversations. (30th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Minxia; Neysari, Mona; Schneider, Gerold; Martin, Mike; Demiray, Burcu
• Editors: Gutchess, Angela
• Is Part Of: Journals of gerontology. Volume 75:Number 9(2020)
• Page Start: e206
• Page End: e214
• Publication Date: 2020-03-30
• Subjects: Adult life span -- Cognitive aging -- Filled pauses -- Frequency of nouns -- Grammatical complexity; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Aged -- Periodicals; Aging -- Periodicals; Psychology, Social -- Periodicals; 305.26
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa041
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-5014

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: This study investigated linear and nonlinear age effects on language use with speech samples that were representative of naturally occurring conversations. Method: Using a corpus-based approach, we examined couples' conflict conversations in the laboratory. The conversations, from a total of 364 community-dwelling German-speaking heterosexual couples (aged 19–82), were videotaped and transcribed. We examined usage of lower-frequency words, grammatical complexity, and utterance of filled pauses (e.g., äh ["um"]). Results: Multilevel models showed that age effects on the usage of lower-frequency words were nonsignificant. Grammatical complexity increased until middle age (i.e., 54) and then declined. The utterance of filled pauses increased until old age (i.e., 70) and then decreased. Discussion: Results are discussed in relation to cognitive aging research.