1998/09/01 by Mary Lee Hummert, Jaye L. Shaner, Teri A. Garstka +1 · 5 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Aging and Gerontology Research #Archaeology #Computer science #Context (archaeology) #History #Library science #Media studies #Philosophy #Phone #Psychology #Sociology #State (computer science) #Technology Use by Older Adults #Work-Family Balance Challenges
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1998.tb00439.x
openalex publication_date 1998/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Forty young, 40 middle-aged, and 40 older adults rated their beliefs about the vocal style that they would use in addressing two older targets—one fitting a negative (Despondent) and one a positive (Golden Ager) stereotype. Participants also gave oral messages to the two targets in either a hospital or community context. Supporting a stereotype-sensitive model of the communication and aging process, participants' beliefs and messages revealed a greater tendency to use patronizing talk with the Despondent target than with the Golden Ager. In addition, the extent and type of patronizing talk (overly nurturing or directive) to the targets was affected by the context in which the target was presented and the age of the communicator. In particular, the number of directive/patronizing messages to Golden Ager targets increased significantly in the hospital context. Finally, older participants were less likely to give patronizing messages to all targets than were younger participants.