Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Switzerland.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2020 Oct 16;75(9):e206-e214. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa041.
This study investigated linear and nonlinear age effects on language use with speech samples that were representative of naturally occurring conversations.
Using a corpus-based approach, we examined couples' conflict conversations in the laboratory. The conversations, from a total of 364 community-dwelling German-speaking heterosexual couples (aged 19-82), were videotaped and transcribed. We examined usage of lower-frequency words, grammatical complexity, and utterance of filled pauses (e.g., äh ["um"]).
Multilevel models showed that age effects on the usage of lower-frequency words were nonsignificant. Grammatical complexity increased until middle age (i.e., 54) and then declined. The utterance of filled pauses increased until old age (i.e., 70) and then decreased.
Results are discussed in relation to cognitive aging research.
本研究通过对代表性自然会话的口语样本进行线性和非线性年龄效应研究，调查语言使用情况。
我们使用基于语料库的方法，研究了实验室中夫妻间的冲突对话。这些对话来自总共 364 对居住在社区中的讲德语的异性夫妻（年龄在 19-82 岁之间），并进行了录像和转录。我们检查了低频词的使用、语法复杂性以及填充停顿（如 äh ["um"]）的使用情况。
多层次模型显示，低频词使用的年龄效应不显著。语法复杂性在中年（即 54 岁）之前增加，然后下降。填充停顿的使用量一直增加到老年（即 70 岁），然后减少。
结果与认知老化研究有关。
