Patterns of communication in old age: The dependence-support and independence-ignore script

Most research to date on communication and interaction patterns in aging is based on linguistic and discourse analyses. This article is aimed at the behavioral analysis of interaction patterns. A series of empirical studies designed as convergent operations to elucidate the role of the social world of older people support two interaction patterns, the dependence-support script coupled with an independence-ignore script. The social world of older people can be characterized as one in which their dependent behaviors are immediately attended to, while independent behaviors are widely ignored. This is particularly so in personal maintenance situations, although it is also present in prosocial engagement situations. The scripts are highly robust across settings (institutional and private dwellings), social partners of older people (staff, family members), sex, length of institutionalization, and health status, but are age specific. Attempts to change the scripts proved successful and led to a significant increase in autonomous functioning on the part of older participants. Implications of these findings for communication research with older people in general are discussed.