Chapter 2: Attitudes & Ageism

1. Chapter 2: Attitudes & Ageism and how language is interwoven with both

2. Attitudes • 3 components: behavioral, cognitive, affective • These components color • how young people feel toward old people • how people feel and think about the aging process • how people behave as they grow older

3. Concerns young people have For better or for worse, January 20, 2006

4. 1. Wearing a short skirt and high heels 2. Living alone 3. Getting married 4. Raising children 5. Being considered sexy 6. Drinking alcohol 7. Driving a sports car 8. Having others make decisions for you 9. Displaying affection in public 10. Running a marathon 11. Running for U.S. president 12. Retiring 13. Becoming pregnant 14. Enrolling in a 4 year college degree program 15. Receiving a heart transplant Age norms: you assign them; we’ll talk

5. Age norms: cultural reflections? Ben http://www.comics.com

6. Age norms:cultural reflections #2 What do these have in common? Clips from http://www.biology.duke.edu/cunningham/Villains.html

7. Age norms: language development • Age 3 –talk about ideas and feelings • Age 7 – milestones with abstractions • Age 8 – milestones: jump in complexity • Teen years – social and linguistic complexity

8. Psychological state terms by age 3 “As children approach their third birthday, their talk about psychological states changes in several ways. Children begin to refer to the causes and consequences of feelings more often and discuss a wider variety of feeling states. Brown and Dunn (1991) suggested that these developmental changes in children’s emotional state language influence their ability to enter into conversations about psychological states. Through these conversations, children have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the mental states motivating human behavior. A second important developmental change that takes place around age 3 is that children begin to make references to cognitive states and to use words such as think and know. “ Lee & Rescorla (2002).The use of psychological state terms by late talkers at age 3. Applied Psycholinguistics 23:4

9. Child language development: age 7 Should have mastered the consonants s-z, r, voiceless th, ch, wh, and the soft g as in George Should handle opposite analogies easily: girl-boy, man-woman, flies-swims, blunt-sharp short-long, sweet-sour, etc Understands such terms as: alike, different, beginning, end, etc Should be able to tell time to quarter hour Should be able to do simple reading and to write or print many words http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml

10. Child language development: age 8 Can relate involved accounts of events, many from a time in  the past Should be few lapses in grammar: e.g. pronouns, plurals All speech sounds, including consonant blends, established Should read with ease and write simple compositions Social amenities should be present in appropriate situations Control of rate, pitch, and volume are well/appropriately established Can carry on conversation at rather adult levelFollows fairly complex directions with little repetitionHas well developed time and number concepts http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml

11. Advanced language stage: over 12 Adolescents essentially communicate in an adult manner, with increasing maturity throughout high school. Teens comprehend abstract language, such as idioms, figurative language and metaphors. Explanations may become more figurative and less literal. Literacy and its relationship to cognition, linguistic competency, reading, writing and listening are the primary focus in this age group. Teens should be able to process texts and abstract meaning, relate word meanings and contexts, understand punctuation, and form complex syntactic structures. http://www.medem.com/medlb/medlib_entry.cfm

12. Language, stage, & identity formation “It’s weird, I was so mad”: Developing Discursive Identity Defenses in Conversational “Small” Stories of Adolescent Boys Luke Moissinac & Michael Bamberg, Clark University Accepted for publication in the Texas Speech Communication Journal Special Issue, “Narratives We Live By,” October 2004 Abstract We view identities (and masculinities) as fluid and contextually sensitive, constantly being accommodated to interlocutors through the use of increasingly sophisticated discursive skills, especially during adolescence. Based on analysis of the interactions of one cohort group of boys observed at the ages of 10 and13, we show how the development of discourse abilities is intertwined with the management of situated identities. . . . Specifically, our data demonstrate that 10-year-olds mount only rudimentary defenses to threatened identities whereas 13-year olds are able to construct more elaborate devices against identity challenges such as such as … concessions, externalizations, and normalizations

13. Sampling advanced language (adapted from Retherford 2004) • Sample the changes: Oral and written narratives Hadley (1998); Nippold(1998); Scott & Stokes (1995) • Semantics • 􀂓Cohesion Markers(Halliday& Hasan, 1976) – how words are connected within a sequence lexical cohesion-by selection of vocabulary, using semantically close items: repetition, synonym, antonym,metonymy reference: personal (Sharon, her) demonstrative, comparative substitution: These cookies are stale. Buy some fresh ones. • 􀂓Connectives Quirk et al (1985); Nippold, Schwarz, & Undlin(1992); Nippold(1998) In English, cohesion is most simply marked by connectives such as and, but, or so. http://www.thinkingpublications.com/LangConf04/PosterSessions/PostersessionsPDFs/Retherford.pdf

14. Semantics of advanced language How Literate is the Lexicon (Nippold, 1998) Does the speaker produce/comprehend Nouns for technical and curriculum activities 􀂓salutation, oppression, circumference, proton Verbs to refer to metacognitive activities doubt, infer, hypothesize, conclude, assume Verbs to refer to metalinguistic activities assert, concede, imply, predict, interpret, confirm Verbs with presuppositional aspects to their meaning Factitive [truth assumed]: know, notice, forget, regret Nonfactitive[truth is uncertain]: think, believe, figure, suppose Retherford 2004, continued

15. (what is a presupposition?) • A presupposition is background belief, relating to an utterance, that   • must be mutually known or assumed by the speaker and addressee for the utterance to be considered appropriate in context • generally will remain a necessary assumption whether the utterance is placed in the form of an assertion, denial, or question, and • can generally be associated with a specific lexical item or grammatical feature (presupposition trigger) in the utterance. Identify the presuppositions in: Jane regretted that she had stopped buying crystal before she left Ireland. http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsAPresupposition.htm

16. Social expectations about language • Value judgments about language are socially based • People notice – and evaluate – ways of talking that are different from their own • They hear words and accents and assign gender, age, region, class, and even ethnicity • And attitudes arise . . .

17. When reality intersects with attitude Female adult voices typically show a pitch that is 75% higher than the male’s: different vocal cord length & mass Male vocal tract length is 15% longer resulting in different resonance (and greater risk of choking on food) Vocal organs show sexual dimorphism Gender is something assigned or constructed

18. Gender-cued language and attitudes Lexical and morphological differences morphology in some languages (Japanese) emotive words; color terms Stylistic differences claimed: go-aheads, hedges F+ interruptions, direct orders M+ Difference or dominance? rapport or informational?

19. Generational differences in lexicon Pickles. January 20, 2006.

20. Preston on linguistic prejudice A primary linguistic myth, one nearly universally attached to minorities, rural people and the less well educated, extends in the United States even to well-educated speakers of some regional varieties. That myth, of course, is that some varieties of a language are not as good as others. http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/attitudes/

21. Preston collected perceptions of ‘correct’ speech Mean scores for ‘correct’ Lowest ratings: South and NYC 150 EuroAm, both sexes, all ages & classes, from Michigan http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/attitudes/

22. Perceptions of ‘pleasant’ speech Mean scores for pleasant By Alabamians Again, 1=low http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/attitudes/

23. Just in case you didn’t ‘get it’ Hand-drawn, from Michigan http://www.pbs.org/speak/speech/prejudice/attitudes/

24. You try it: rate this speaker Use the rating form provided. Transcript goes with the voice clip We’ll listen to it three times. Now I was born in Charlotte in the Presbyterian Hospital. And it was downtown on the corner of Mint and Trade. Upstairs over the drugstore. And um my father was afraid the doctor who lived down the hill wouldn't get there in time so he took my mother to the hospital on the streetcar -- on a Saturday night and I was born Easter Sunday morning. Easter Sunday? Yeah. (laughter)

25. Auditor perception of discourse: F1 of 3 • Factor 1 About the Tellers Competence including Credibility (Multiple Regression: Relationship with Construct of Auditor’s Rural--Urban Place of Origin) • Loading Item Response • .67 #5 The Teller is friendly • .67 #7 The Teller likes telling stories • .62 #17 The Teller knows other stories • .59 #21 I think the Interviewer, as a person, is polite • .51 #28 In everyday life, the Teller is polite • .47 #23 I believe that people said what the Teller reported them as saying • .41 #12 The story the teller says is true • .40 #35 The Interviewer likes talking with the Teller • .37 #8 The Teller likes the Interviewer • .37 #43 The Teller tells stories superbly • .36 #33 The Teller knows more than she/he tells • .35 #38 The Interviewer thinks the Teller tells stories well • .35 #40 I know the Tellers story style • .32 #24 The Interviewer is interested in the Teller

26. Additional significant relationships in Factor 1: Evaluating competence of TELLER • (Note: Multiple Regression finds a Relationship between Place of Origin and Factor Score 1, when controlling for other demographics ,which accounts for 12% of the variance. • As auditors’ construct of place of origin is more rural, they assign greater competence to the Teller) • Item Demographics • Class Place of origin M Educ F Educ • [w-lmc-mc-] [country-town-smcity- [gr-hs-some coll- [gr-hs-some coll- • umc-u bigcity suburb-big city] full coll-profess] ull coll-profess] • Teller is friendly .01436 . .00050 • 7. Teller likes telling stories .00957 • 12. Teller’s story is true 01357 .04700 • 17. Teller knows other stories .00248 .00275 • 21. Interviewer is polite .00007 .04879 • 24. Interviewer is interested in Teller .04469 .00040 • 28. Teller is polite .00013 .02437 .04729 • 43. Teller tells stories well .03421 .03422

27. Factors affecting language in aging Each of these factors can affect language production and cause social withdrawal, as people age: • hearing and vision impairment • slower processing of information • mild memory difficulties • shrinking network of friends

28. What aging sounds like • Voices are heard as hoarse, high pitched, breathy, tremulous or shaky • Men are heard as hesitant • Women are heard as passive Mulac & Giles 1996

29. Stereotyped projections of elder speech • Tangential – speaker wanders off the topic • Vacillating – speaker can’t make choices • Repetitive – speaker repeats same words • Too wordy – speaker gives too many details

30. avoidance impatience controlling talk baby talk or Elderspeak (simplified speech) overly familiar talk shouting non-listening showing disapproval condescension dismissive comments Age-biased reactions: Ryan’s research Often, we don’t realize that we have changed our speech when we talk to an older person.

31. Overaccomodation Can be seen as patronizing: wrong message! Overaccommodation - such as babytalk, Elderspeak, or being overly familiar - means we are talking to the stereotype of being old and not to the individual. That’s not the message we want to send. (Ryan & Cole, 1990)

32. Underaccommodation Freezing people out: sending the wrong message We under-accommodate a speaker’s needs when we show that we are not listening, or use dismissive comments, condescension, or controlling talk. We move away from them. That’s not the message we want to send. (Giles et al, 1990)

33. Conversation with adult 54 years old 1. I tended to display my interest by nodding much more instead of interrupting Conversation with adult 94 years old I was much more likely to interrupt with interjections and clarifying statements Example from Batson 2003 How we change our speech: 1

34. With the person aged 54: 2. I participated actively with my honest opinions in this dialogue With the person aged 94: I was much more likely to “sugar-coat” my opinions and/or modify my more “modern” points of view Example from Batson 2003 How we change our speech: 2

35. With the person aged 54 3. I spoke more softly and more quickly With the person aged 94 My voice was much louder, and I spoke slower than usual Example from Batson 2003 How we change our speech: 3

36. With the person aged 54 4. I was less “unnecessarily” pleasant, meaning, I didn’t use complimentary language unless very appropriate With the person aged 94 I consistently mentioned how nice the individual looked, and how I enjoyed talking to him/her Example from Batson 2003 How we change our speech: 4

37. Age-associated differences in communication expectations Ryan & Butler (1996: 192) comment that “some distinctions between young and old adults that influence intergenerational relationships arise from historical differences in socialization” This affects patient-provider roles. Haug (1996:252) reports less time given to consultations for patients 60 and older, and that “doctors may speak more slowly, in a louder voice, use simplified language, and take on a patronizing air, blaming older patients, but not younger, for forgetfulness” Special issue, Health Communications 8.3 (1996)

38. Healthcare worker interactions Burda (2005:8) notes that older people either have little experience with or feel questioning professionals is inappropriate. Since many interactions involve tasks (ADL), noncompliance may ensue -- particularly if the older person doesn’t understand the healthcare worker’s accent. Hmmm. We’re back @ attitudes Burda, A. & Hageman, C. Perception of accented speech by residents in assisted-living facilities, J Medical Speech-Language Pathology 13, 7-14

39. Language issues for new nurses: what’s beneath the surface? Smith: JONAS Healthc Law Ethics Regul, Volume 6(1).March 2004.15-16

40. Workforce demographics, NC www.nursenc.org/research/Trends2001/workforce_demos.pdf

41. Ageism in general In North America and Europe, “Older adults are often marginalized, given low social status, and either ignored in the media or portrayed in roles reinforcing negative stereotypes (Nelson, 2002). • Unfavorable stereotypes characterize older people as forgetful, sick, unattractive, useless, lonely, and dependent (Hess & Blanchard-Fields, 1999; Nelson, 2002; Palmore, 1999). • Trait sorting studies have identified several negative prototypes of older persons such as ‘shrew-curmudgeon,’ ‘despondent,’ and ‘severely impaired’ “(Ryan et al 2004: 344) Nussbaum, J., Pitts, M., Huber, F., Krieger, J., Ohs, J. 2005. Ageism and ageist language across the life span. Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 61, pp. 287--305

42. Jigsaw: Ageism, news stories • http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1018/p07s01-woap.html Japanese homeless • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4041713.stm Ageism UK • http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/13141.htm Australia • http://www.graypanthersmetrodetroit.org/Ageism.html Gray Panthers in Chicago • http://www.trentu.ca/news/view/aging.html Canada • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4411937.stm BBC on US legislation • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2975754.stm Generation X UK • http://www.suzanne.tv/show.asp?sid=410 Ageism - boomers • http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12815371&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222087&rfi=6 Ageism - boomers

43. Intergenerational communication: 3 models • CAT communication accommodation • Convergent X divergent strategies • CPA communicative predicament • Problematic talk < negative stereotypes • CEM communication enhancement • Tailor speech to individual needs and thereby reduce stereotypes Nussbaum, J., Pitts, M., Huber, F., Krieger, J., Ohs, J. 2005. Ageism and ageist language across the life span. Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 61, pp. 287--305

44. Youth X old age in Asia X Canada Views of the old in the East often resemble the West’s. Expectations about declining personal vitality & increasing benevolence in old age were found among young and old respondents in the East (People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines and Thailand) and West (U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand; Harwood et al., 1996, 2001). Accepting public norms of filial obligation and honor need not conflict with negative inner beliefs about aging and older people Ryan, E., Jin, Y., Anas, A., Luh, J. (2004 )Communication beliefs about youth and old age in Asia & Canada. J Cross-Cultural Gerontology 19: 343–360,.

45. Ryan’s cross-cultural work suggests Educational interventions – the CEM model - to improve intergenerational communication between young and old may be more likely to succeed if they target • fostering of positive attitudes toward empathic, socially skilled, story-telling aspects of communication in later life • rather than the reduction of negative attitudes. Ryan, E., Jin, Y., Anas, A., Luh, J. (2004 )Communication beliefs about youth and old age in Asia & Canada. J Cross-Cultural Gerontology 19: 343–360.

46. Ageism, language and marketing What are the appeals? What are the stereotypes? While we’ll discuss aging and the media later in the semester, here, we pause to preview some pervasive features of ageism --