Communication and Aging: A Study of the Effects of Cohort-centrism and Perceived Decoding Ability on Communication Competence and Communication Satisfaction

From a sample of 190 males and females (120 young, “70 “old”), this study sought to determine differences in perceived levels of communication competence and communication satisfaction as a function of the main and joint effects of cohort-centrism and perceived decoding ability. Analyses provided only weak support for the joint effects. However, older persons considered their conversational partners, whether young or old, to be more competent than did younger persons. Also, on the whole, older persons were more satisfied conversing with young persons, while younger persons were less satisfied, regardless of the age of the conversational partner. Those who perceived themselves as high decoders rated their partners as more competent than did those who perceived themselves as low decoders, and high decoders were also more satisfied with the interaction than low decoders. Cohort-centrism was supported only in the case of low-decoding older persons.