Nonverbal communication and aging

Abstract

The nonverbal effects of aging are Idrgely unexamined in the communication and gerontological disciplines. As a result, a number of assumptions and suppositions are required to interpret the available literature. Briefly exmained are developmental approaches to nonverbal communication, and the biological and gerontological theories relevant to the study of nonverbal communication. A functional approach to aging effects in nonverbal communication is developed to integrate the results of research on nonverbal aspects of aging.