Skip Navigation


The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences Advance Access originally published online on March 12, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 2009 64B(2):202-211; doi:10.1093/geronb/gbp005
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
64B/2/202    most recent
gbp005v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McGinnis, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by McGinnis, D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Text Comprehension Products and Processes in Young, Young-Old, and Old-Old Adults

Debra McGinnis

Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan

Address correspondence to Debra McGinnis, PhD, Department of Psychology, Oakland University, 2200 North Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI 48309. Email: mcginnis{at}oakland.edu


  Abstract

Aging may be associated with an increase in generalized text processing, particularly in adults older than 75 years. The current study examined text comprehension in young, young-old, and old-old adults. Experiment 1 included a comprehension measure (product) and Experiment 2 examined inferences generated during reading (process). Comprehension scores were lowest in old-old adults. Generalized and elaborative inference scores were highest in old-old adults. Participants over 65 years with the lowest scores on cognitive integrity variables also had significantly lower comprehension scores, but there was no effect of cognitive integrity on inference scores. This dissociation suggests that inferential processes may be maintained even when cognitive integrity and comprehension declines are present. Relevance to cognitive aging theories addressing text processing and self-regulatory processes is addressed.

Key Words: Cognition • Inference • Language • Narrative comprehension • Old-old adults • Text comprehension

Received April 24, 2008; Accepted December 9, 2008

Decision Editor: Elizabeth A. L. Stine-Morrow, PhD


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.