"Risky reading" in older adults: Investigating the underlying mechanisms and consequences for comprehension
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Psychology
Abstract
It is argued that older readers (who have greater experience with reading) compensate for their slower processing of text by employing a "risky" reading strategy in which they are more likely than younger adults to infer the identities of upcoming words using prior context and only partial word formation.
To investigate the depth of processing at word level, Taminder will examine age-related differences in incomplete processing of the meanings of individual words. The approach will be to investigate the relationship between risky reading in older adults and depth of word processing (as indexed by detection of semantic anomalies), as well as the influence of information structure on this process, that is, whether the anomalous word is in focus or not.
The key methodology will be eye-tracking during reading, combined with measures of anomaly detection, and measures of interpretation.
To investigate the depth of processing at word level, Taminder will examine age-related differences in incomplete processing of the meanings of individual words. The approach will be to investigate the relationship between risky reading in older adults and depth of word processing (as indexed by detection of semantic anomalies), as well as the influence of information structure on this process, that is, whether the anomalous word is in focus or not.
The key methodology will be eye-tracking during reading, combined with measures of anomaly detection, and measures of interpretation.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000711/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 1928521 | Studentship | ES/P000711/1 | 01/10/2017 | 31/07/2021 | Taminder Kalsi |
| Description | Pecha Kucha presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I presented to all ESRC students through a Pecha Kucha style presentation. The purpose of this was to explain my research to a non-expert audience. The feedback received from this event was over-overwhelmingly positive with many people reporting a greater understanding of reading, specifically age differences and how eye-tracking research is conducted. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Presentation to older adult community |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I presented to a group of older adults from the University of the Third Age who attended the University of Nottingham School of Psychology department to learn more about the research being conducted on 28th November 2018. I presented a talk about aging and reading. This led to more participants volunteering to take part in research and to many questions about how older adults read. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |