Preserved context sensitivity in language production: Lexical differentiation in older adults

Aging is often associated with cognitive decline, particularly in memory, which can impact language production. However, older adults (OA) do not exhibit a decline in crystallized intelligence, which reflects accumulated knowledge and expertise. The present study focuses on the referential phenomenon of lexical differentiation: When speakers refer to an object after earlier referring to a different exemplar from the same category, younger speakers sometimes use modified expressions (e.g., "the open umbrella") even though the earlier referent is no longer visible. We examine two hypotheses regarding lexical differentiation in older adults: the memory-based view that predicts less lexical differentiation in older adults due to memory decline, and the communication-based view that predicts equal or more lexical differentiation in older adults due to communicative and linguistic expertise. Results show that older adults produced similar levels of lexical differentiation (when considering all modifiers) and more lexical differentiation than younger adults (when focusing on prenominal modification), supporting the communication-based view. In addition, older adults produced more postnominal modifiers, which do not require early planning. These results highlight the adaptability of older adults in language production and provide new insights into how aging influences context-sensitive language use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).