Pragmatic inferences in aging and human-robot communication

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Cognitive Aging
• Human-Robot Interaction

Background:

• Pragmatic inferencing is crucial for effective communication.
• Limited research exists on age-related changes in pragmatic inferencing and contextual adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in pragmatic inferencing.
• To examine how context influences inferential processes in younger and older adults.
• To explore the impact of human-robot interaction on pragmatic inference.

Main Methods:

• Two eye-tracking experiments were conducted.
• Participants (younger and older adults) processed spoken instructions.
• Inferential processes were measured by tracking visual attention to objects, including competitor items.

Main Results:

• Both age groups showed contrastive inferencing when instructions were played over speakers.
• Older adults, unlike younger adults, failed to suppress contrastive inferences when interacting with a robot lacking color perception.
• This suggests older adults may have difficulty suppressing irrelevant information or are more prone to anthropomorphize robots.

Conclusions:

• Pragmatic inferencing abilities adapt differently with age, particularly in novel or human-robot contexts.
• Older adults may face challenges in inhibiting inferences when situational context contradicts initial assumptions.
• Findings highlight the importance of context and cognitive flexibility in understanding communication in aging.