Older Adults’ Responses to Patronizing Advice

Abstract

Following Okamoto and Robinson, two studies extended the study of politeness in context to a consideration of how older individuals respond to advice delivered in a patronizing (impolite) or affirming (polite) manner. Study 1 involved older persons in focus groups that considered contexts for, perceptions of, and responses to patronizing advice. Study 2 collected oral responses from other older individuals in a 2 (advice style: patronizing/affirming) 2 (context: community/hospital) design. Together, the studies showed that participants perceived at least five ways of responding to patronizing advice (appreciative, assertive, passive, ignoring, condescending) that vary from highly polite (appreciative) to polite to impolite (condescending). Results from Study 2 supported the hypothesis that evaluations of advice and responses would show that the hospital context legitimates a patronizing advice style, consistent with the general framework of Politeness Theory. Other results reinforced the complexity and challenges of using the theory to interpret behaviors in context. W. Peter Robinson's work has helped us to see that we must test our theories about language and social psychology in diverse contexts, with diverse participants, and with diverse methodologies (e.g.,

Attitudes About the Competence of Charitable Gift Givers

“…This is consistent with other research (Bowling, 1999;Cardinali & Gordon, 2002;Hummert et al, 1994;Hummert & Mazloff, 2001;Kane et al, 2013;Palmore, 1999;Ragan & Bowen, 2001;Scogins & Perry, 1986) which indicates that older women are more likely to be perceived as needing paternalistic intervention such as guardianship or institutionalization because they are viewed as incapable, weak, lonely, and senile. This study suggests that both age and gender may have an effect on perceptions of competence, especially the competence of older people.…”

“…In a sense, older women and older men become "old people" with fewer gender attributions. Research suggests that older women and older men are often perceived as frail, dependent, incompetent, in ill-health, weak, and lonely (Bowling, 1999;Cardinali & Gordon, 2002;Hummert, Garstka, Shaner, & Strahm, 1994;Hummert & Mazloff, 2001;Kane, 2004aKane, , 2004bKane, , 2004cKane, , 2006aKane, , 2006bKane, , 2007Kane, , 2008Kane, Jacobs & Hawkins, 2013;Palmore, 1999Palmore, , 2001Ragan & Bowen, 2001). When women or men engage in behaviors dissimilar to the behaviors of their expected gender role, some observers may believe that these individuals have committed a gender transgression (Sirin, McCreary, & Mahalik, 2004).…”

“…The health, mental health, or human service professional may engage the elder using patronizing expressions and terms of endearment ("Honey," "Sweety," etc. ), speak loudly because of the presumption of incompetence or hearing impairment, or speak around or over the elder person to another family member because the professional presumes the older individual is unable to communicate rationally (Balsis & Carpenter, 2005;Hummert & Mazloff, 2001;Kemper, Finter-Urczyk, Ferrell, Harden, & Billington, 1998;Kemper, Othick, Gerhing, Gubarchuk, & Billington, 1998;Reekie & Hansen, 1992;Ryan, Kennaley, Pratt, & Shumovich, 2000). These attitudes have important implications for service delivery beliefs about the competence, decisionmaking abilities, and resilience of older persons.…”

Perceptions of Students about Younger and Older Men and Women who May Be Homeless

“…Ageist attitudes influence the quality and type of services that are delivered to older persons and/or those deemed less worthy of care such as aging homeless persons (Bowling, 1999;Cykert, Kissling, Layson, & Hansen, 1995;Damiano, Momany, Willard, & Jogerst, 1997;Ivey, Wieling, & Harris, 2000;Kane, 2002Kane, , 2004aKane, , 2008Pettersen, 1995;Reekie & Hansen, 1992). Speech patterns change when professionals dislike or hold negative attitudes toward aging clients (e.g., Balsis & Carpenter, 2005;Caporeal, 1981;Hummert & Mazloff, 2001;Kemper, Finter-Urczyk, Ferrell, Harden, & Billington, 1998;Kemper, Othick, Gerhing, Gubarchuk, & Billington, 1998;Reekie & Hansen, 1992;Ryan, Kennaley, Pratt, & Shumovich, 2000). The services delivered by professionals who hold negative attitudes to persons with mental health or ethanol and/or other substance abuse/dependence concerns are affected (Barnea & Teichman, 1994;Bartels & Smyer, 2002;Blow, Oslin, & Barry, 2002;Choi & McDougall, 2007;Kane, 2006aKane, , 2006bKane, , 2007Lakey, Gray, Ciechanowski, Schwartz, & LoGerfo, 2008;Rugler, 2000;Sadock & Sadock, 2007;Solberg, Maciosek, & Edwards, 2008;Wilson et al, 2007).…”

Experiential Learning Strategies for Promoting Adolescents’ Voluntarism in Hong Kong

“…Particularly, because of the generational gap and heterogeneity among older adults, longer intergenerational interaction is required to facilitate the adolescent's learning about older adults' needs (Baltes & Baltes, 1990;Elder & Crosnoe, 2002). One instance of the generational gap occurs in intergenerational communication (Hummert & Mazloff, 2001;Williams & Nussbaum, 2001). The adolescent takes time to tune in to older adults' speech.…”