Understanding Communication and Aging: Developing Knowledge and Awareness

"This interesting, easy-to-read book provides a comprehensive framework for considering communication and aging in the context of biology, sociology, and psychology. This thought provoking book is strongly anti-ageist. It could serve as a broad overview for anyone interested in the myriad of issues related to communication and aging." ―CHOICE

"Understanding Communication and Aging achieves a nice balance between the facts of growing old, the social forces that shape that process, and the communication factors that connect these two domains. With attention to both research and everyday applications, the text is thorough and inviting. I am delighted that a user-friendly, undergraduate text has finally been produced in the field of communication and aging. This book deserves to be an instant and sustained success."
―Sandra Metts, Illinois State University

"This book has so many strengths. I am especially pleased with the communication focus and the discussions on cultural issues, new technologies, and identities. I am impressed by Dr. Harwood′s creativity and reaching out to learners via the use of info boxes, significant achievement profiles, literary/artistic descriptions, selected detailed summaries of research, and quotations about aging. All of these features auger very well for student learning and enthusiasm. I commend Dr. Harwood for his attention to detail, targeting multiple learning styles, and attending to instructors who value these kinds of features."
―Jim L. Query, Jr., University of Houston

"The way Professor Harwood ties together theory, research, and everyday experience into a text that is accessible, interesting, and fun to read is impressive. The focus is not merely psychological or interpersonal; the book spans multiple disciplines. This text is the total package!"
―Jo Anna Grant, California State University, San Bernardino

Understanding Communication and Aging is the most accessible introduction to the many ways aging in the 21st century is influenced by human communication processes, from face-to-face conversation to mass media representations. With a lively presentation, author Jake Harwood presents central research findings while engaging students with important questions concerning communication and aging.

Key Features

• Covers the broad area of communication and older adulthood: The book examines key topics such as interpersonal and family relationships in old age, media portrayals of aging, cultural variations in intergenerational communication, and health communication in old age.
• Shatters the myths and stereotypes of aging: The book′s orientation and perspective is on "healthy" living and aging. This anti-ageist approach encourages readers to reexamine their views on aging and become fluent at defending and promoting an anti-ageist ideology.
• Provides concrete examples: While taking a theoretical approach, the book includes coverage of applied issues such as health communication and age-related prejudice and discrimination.

Jake Harwood (Ph.D., Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara) is Professor of Communication at the University of Arizona. He is author of Understanding Communication and Aging (2007, Sage) and co-editor of The Dynamics of Intergroup Communication (Peter Lang, 2011). His publications have appeared in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Communication Monographs, Human Communication Research, and the British Journal of Social Psychology, among others. His research focuses on intergroup communication with a particular focus on age groups.  He is interested in the ways in which cognitive (e.g., stereotypes) and societal (e.g., mass media) representations of groups relate to communication processes.