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The influence of contextual information on the resolution of ambiguous pronouns by younger and older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Carol L. Leonard ,
Gloria S. Waters  and
David Caplan
Carol L. Leonard*
Affiliation:
McGill University
Gloria S. Waters*
Affiliation:
McGill University
David Caplan*
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital
*
Carol L. Leonard, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, 1266 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A8, Canada
Carol L. Leonard, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, 1266 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A8, Canada
Carol L. Leonard, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, 1266 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A8, Canada
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Abstract

Two experiments were conducted with the purpose of investigating possible age effects on the abilities of older and younger adults to use contextual information to resolve ambiguous pronouns. In both experiments, subjects were presented with pairs of sentences (a leading sentence followed by a pronominal sentence) and were required to indicate the referent of the ambiguous pronoun. In both experiments, the older adults responded more slowly and were less accurate than the younger adults. However, both groups of subjects were equally influenced by the contextual information available, which was located in the leading sentence to aid in the resolution of the pronouns. Older adults did not demonstrate a specific impairment in the ability to use contextual information to resolve ambiguous pronouns. Nevertheless, agerelated difficulties in resolving pronouns may emerge, possibly as a function of an underspecified discourse model.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , July 1997 , pp. 293 - 317
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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