Older adults have valuable memories to share. Why don't we listen?

Abstract

Dual process categorization provides a valuable framework to describe cognitive aging. Mechanical skills, including complex attention, free memory recall, and speed of processing, often decline with age. In contrast, pragmatic skills can increase with age. Pragmatic intelligence reflects a person's life experience and contextual knowledge about the world. Although these are general trends among aging populations, there is also individual variability that may limit one's cognitive skills in either category.

Dual process categorization holds an important role in understanding cognitive aging. There are, however, several limitations of this model, including that it does not account for all aspects of cognitive processing in the human experience. Cognitive aging is likely more complex and includes intertwined mechanical and pragmatic skills. This literary analysis uses Lois Lowry's (1993) novel The Giver to explore the limitations of stratifying cognitive skills into two specific categories. The model does not explain real-life experiences where mechanical and pragmatic skills are dually activated or interact with one another. Generativity, for example, where one shares experiences and knowledge with younger generations or peers, utilizes mechanical and pragmatic cognitive skills. When older adults engage in generativity, they have potential to create new social opportunities for cognitive engagement, while sharing life lessons gained from lived experiences.

Despite these limitations, appreciating the nuanced processes of cognitive aging is an important consideration in gerontology. Baltes's (1993) dual categorization continues to provide a valuable framework for functional and social engagement by leveraging the strengths of older adults to utilize pragmatic cognitive skills. Intergenerational generativity is increasingly relevant to meet the diverse needs of today's aging population.