Question

What is discourse? What are some of the changes in discourse that occur with aging?

Discourse refers to extended verbal expression in speech or writing. Researchers have found conflicting information about changes in discourse with aging. Some have reported increased elaborateness, while others have reported less varied and less complex syntax. One aspect of discourse where age differences have been found involves retelling a story or giving instructions for completing a task. When engaging in this type of discourse, older adults are more likely than younger adults to omit key elements, creating discourse that is less fluent and more difficult to follow. A recent study found that when retelling a story, older adults were more likely than younger adults to compress discourse and less likely to improve the cohesiveness of their narratives.


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