Communication and Aging Research

Topical Scope of Communication and Aging Research

Communication and aging research involves a variety of topical foci. Understanding communication associated with different life stages has been a central focus of research in communication and aging. For example, research addressing parent–infant communication, peer relationships among children, social support in adolescence, romantic relationships during emerging adulthood, uncertainty management and caregiving roles of those in middle age, and lifelong learning of older adults are areas of inquiry in communication and aging. Researchers have also examined intragenerational communication, as seen in spousal relationships, among siblings, and between friends, and intergenerational communication, as it manifests in adult parent–child relationships, adult child–parent relationships, and grandparent–grandchild relationships. Investigations of stereotyping and ageist language are also fundamental areas in communication and aging research.

Scholarship in communication and aging often intersects with other subdisciplines in the field of communication. For example, research examining caregiving relationships, the role of family in social support across the lifespan, and communication regarding sex and intimacy in different stages of life is situated in the context of interpersonal communication. Similarly, in the realm of nonverbal communication studies, aging and communication scholars have addressed age-related recognition of nonverbal cues and emotions. In the context of organizational communication, examination of stereotypes associated with the older worker and intergenerational, superior–subordinate relationships in the workplace have been examined. Additionally, communication and aging research also intersects with media studies in work investigating media usage across the lifespan, the impact of media on children, and media portrayals of older adulthood. Studies focused on intercultural communication have involved cross-cultural comparisons of age-related stereotypes, while other work has focused on communication technology usage across the lifespan. Still other areas of research have focused on marketing to older adults. Finally, a number of issues in communication and aging surface in health communication research, including older patient–physician communication and end-of-life care decisions.

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