Ann P. Anas

Dissociation of processes in belief: Source recollection, statement familiarity, and the illusion of truth

This article reports 4 experiments concerning the effect of repetition on rated truth (the illusory truth effect). Statements were paired with differentially credible sources (true vs. false). Old trues would be rated true on 2 bases, source recollection and statement familiarity. Old falses, however, would be rated false if sources were recollected, leaving the unintentional influence of familiarity as their only basis for being rated true. Even so, falses were rated truer than new statements unless sources were especially memorable. Estimates showed the contributions of the 2 influences to be independent; the intentional influence of recollection was reduced if control was impaired, but the unintentional influence of familiarity remained constant

Communication and Dementia: Staff Perceptions of Conversational Strategies

Abstract This study examined the impact of two communication-enhancing strategies used on people with dementia. The strategies were manipulated using scripted staff-resident conversations that were evaluated by 71 long-term care staff participants. We hypothesized that vocal and nonverbal characteristics, along with their communication behaviors would be perceived more positively when staff members used personhood strategies compared to when they used directive language. We examined whether perceptions of the resident depicted identically in the scripts would be more positive in the personhood versus directive conversations. We also considered if simplified language and repetitions would affect the positive impact of personhood on perceptions of staff and residents. In support of our hypotheses, results showed that personhood strategies had positive effects on perceptions of staff and residents. Furthermore, simplified language enhanced those effects by showing staff as less patronizing and residents as more competent. Findings suggest that these strategies can enhance staff-resident interactions.

Evaluations of Older Adult Assertiveness in Problematic Clinical Encounters

Within a communication predicament of aging framework, this study examined assertiveness as an option for older adults confronted with a problematic health care conversation. Older and younger participants evaluated scenarios in which senior client targets with or without hearing loss employed either assertive, passive, or aggressive responses. As predicted, assertive seniors were evaluated as most competent and likely to be satisfied with future encounters. Compared to older adults, young adults gave equivalent ratings for assertiveness but viewed the senior’s passive response especially positively and the aggressive response especially negatively. Hearing loss made no difference in evaluations of the three response styles. Findings are discussed in terms of the benefits for older adults of developing skills in selective assertiveness, with emphasis on their successful management of health care encounters.

Evaluations of Overhelping and Underhelping Communication Do Old Age and Physical Disability Matter

Older adults and persons with disability experience communication predicaments involving inappropriate help. In a retail setting, the authors examined the meanings of overhelping and underhelping and how these may be affected by the recipients age and (dis)ability status. Young adults (n= 221) were presented with a picture of either a young or an older target seated in an armchair or a wheelchair. Participants then read three different conversations across which their target was addressed in professional, overhelping, or underhelping speech styles. Salesperson overhelping style was associated with the most exaggerated intonation. Compared to the professional, overhelping led to downgrading of customer satisfaction and salesperson effectiveness. “Blametherecipient” effects occurred in evaluations of both underhelped and overhelped customers. The customer in a wheelchair was rated more competent than the seated target regardless of age or salesperson style. Future research will focus on assertiveness options for managing needed or unwanted help.

Korean Beliefs about Everyday Memory and Aging for Self and Others

Studies in the West have demonstrated that more everyday memory problems are expected for typical older adults than for typical young adults. In order to examine memory beliefs about aging in Asia, we conducted a study in Korea which parallels that of Ryan and Kwong See (1993). We used the three self-efficacy scales of the Metamemory in Adulthood instrument (Dixon & Hultsch, 1983) to determine whether age changes are anticipated for oneself as well as for typical adults. Young adults (N = 468; mean age = 21.0 years) rated the memory of either typical adults (aged 25, 45, or 65 years) or themselves at one of these ages. As in Ryan and Kwong See (1993), anticipation of decline was obtained on two of the three self-efficacy scales (i.e., capacity and change). In addition, beliefs about everyday memory decline (i.e., capacity and locus) were weaker for the self than for typical others. Hence, support was obtained for negative stereotypes about memory and aging in Korea as well as a self-protection bias indicating stronger anticipation of age-related decline among others.

Young and older adults’ views of telephone talk: Conversation problems and social uses

Abstract Age‐related changes and stereotyped expectations may pose challenges to older adults’ use of the telephone, an essential communication device in our society. This study, with 240 older and 156 young adults, provides baseline information about possible age differences in telephone conversation problems and in use of the telephone. Young adults expected older adults to have more communication problems on the telephone, but the self‐reports of the older adults were not more negative. The young used the telephone more frequently and emphasized sociability and instrumentality, while their older counterparts put relatively more emphasis on reassurance. Interrelationships among conversational difficulties and use of the telephone were examined within age groups. These findings are discussed in terms of the Communication Predicament of Aging Model and telephone conversation as a promising area of aging research.

Cross-cultural beliefs about memory and aging for self and others: South Korea and Canada.

Young adults in Canada (N = 161) and South Korea (N = 165) rated either themselves or typical others at target ages 25, 45, and 65 years. In both countries, poorer memory was anticipated with each increase in age on all 3 memory belief factors: capacity, change, and locus. Both groups demonstrated a self-protective bias about age-related decline, with Koreans showing a greater effect. These findings demonstrate the cross-cultural generality of negative memory stereotypes of middle and old age and the importance of self-other distinctions in age biases.

Assertiveness by Older Adults with Visual Impairment: Context Matters

Within a communication predicament of aging and disability framework, this study examined the impact of two types of contextual variation on perceptions of older adult assertiveness within problematic service encounters. Young (N = 66) and older (N = 66) participants evaluated conversational scenarios in which a visually-impaired older woman responded either passively or assertively to denial of requested assistance with reading needed information. Both older and young participants viewed the assertive older woman as more competent and as more likely to achieve her goals in future conversations than the passive older woman. The assertiveness advantage was greater in the community setting than in the hospital and for the more serious situations. Implications for education are discussed.

Writers with Dementia: the Interplay among Reading, Writing, and Personhood

People with dementia have eloquently described their experiences with written language. Most professional discussions of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias mention losses in reading and writing skills, while simultaneously commenting that maintaining these activities is good exercise for the brain. In this chapter, we consider how people with dementia make use of reading and writing activities to enhance memory, satisfaction, self-esteem, and interpersonal communication. Then we review empirical findings and lived experiences concerning declines in reading and writing abilities during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias. Strategies for coping with these losses are featured next. We conclude by emphasizing the learning, courage, and creativity involved in maintaining one’s sense of self in dementia and the role of reading and writing in that process.

The Effects of Age, Hearing Loss, and Communication Difficulty on First Impressions

Within a person perception paradigm, young adults (n = 171) evaluated young and older targets with or without hearing loss or communication problems. On anticipated cognitive performance, older targets were rated lower on visual memory and visuospatial skill but higher on wisdom. Targets with normal hearing and communication difficulty were rated as least competent on the cognitive tasks and most socially distant. Furthermore, the lowest wisdom scores were anticipated for normally hearing young targets exhibiting communication problems. The findings showed that adults of any age were judged less severely for communication difficulties if known to use a hearing aid.